Crouch gets his chance - at last

Brad Crouch trains with Rory Laird following his selection. Picture: Reed Sarah Source: The Advertiser

AFTER 543 days, Brad Crouch will finally get to wear the Adelaide Football Club jumper.

But the 19-year-old midfielder's rise to be the 192nd player to represent the Crows has cost one of the Adelaide fans' favourites, Graham Johncock, his place in the 22 seeking redemption against Brisbane at the Gabba tomorrow night.

Adelaide shocked last night by dropping the 226-game Johncock to arrange the long-awaited AFL debut of Crouch, the teenager the Crows were prepared to keep on ice in the SANFL for 12 months after dealing with Greater Western Sydney for the "Patrick Dangerfield twin" in the 2011 trade period.

Crouch and specialist small forward Ian Callinan, who has to respond after a poor finals series last year, change the shape of the Adelaide line-up that failed against Essendon in the AFL season-opener at AAMI Stadium on March 22. They replace Johncock and Brodie Martin, who was the substitute against the Bombers.

Crouch, a tough, inside midfielder, was unlucky not to be part of Adelaide's season-opener. But it was the way the Victorian handled being sent to SANFL club West Adelaide that further impressed the Crows selectors to finally put him in the big league.

"He made a compelling case," said Adelaide assistant coach Mark Bickley.

"He had a good game against Carlton (in the NAB Cup), handled the disappointment of not being picked against Essendon - and that was important for us. It showed his resilience."

Bickley last night acknowledged Johncock, 30, was unlucky when "a couple of other guys will consider themselves lucky it was not them" to be dropped.

Port Adelaide last night predictably recalled full back Alipate Carlile for the tribute to John McCarthy at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

Carlile, held back last week to clear away hamstring soreness, replaces Andrew Moore in the team that put the Power at the top of the ladder with its 79-point win against Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.

Power coach Ken Hinkley held back forward-midfielder Robbie Gray (knee) and former captain Dom Cassisi (calf) who will continue their return from injury in the SANFL.

Port has named 13 players to deal with the nightmare they created on August 4 last year when coach Matthew Primus was sacked for leading the Power to first-up losses against the new franchises in their debut seasons - Gold Coast in 2011 and Greater Western Sydney last year.

Missing from the 22-man line-up that trailed the Giants at every break at the Sydney Showgrounds are Cassisi, free-agent escapee Danyle Pearce (Fremantle), injured Brett Ebert, Tom Logan, Moore, Daniel Stewart, Matt Thomas, Aaron Young and McCarthy.

McCarthy died in tragic circumstances during an end-of-season holiday with team-mates in Las Vegas in September.

Their places are filled by ruckmen Jarrad Redden, defenders Jasper Pittard and Cam O'Shea - and six players not at Alberton when the Primus sacking unfolded. They are NAB Rising Star nominee Oliver Wines, defender Lewis Stevenson, forwards Angus Monfries and Jake Neade, Campbell Heath and Kane Mitchell.

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