Draftee Jake Lever will make his AFL debut against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
Lever is one of four changes to the Crows team to play the Suns. Midfielders Matt Crouch, Jarryd Lyons and Mitch Grigg have been included in place of injured quartet Ricky Henderson (pectoral), Josh Jenkins (hip), Cam Ellis-Yolmen (hamstring) and Richard Douglas (foot).
Lever, 19, was selected with Adelaide’s first pick (No.14 overall) in last year’s national draft.
The competitive 194cm, 85kg, defender has impressed in four SANFL games, averaging 19 possessions. He displayed his offensive ability last weekend, collecting a season-high 26 touches against the top-of-the-table South Adelaide. Lever leads the SANFL Crows in rebound 50ms (ranked fourth in the SANFL) and marks, and has showed good leadership despite his inexperience.
The former Victoria Metro captain will become the 203rd player to represent the Adelaide Football Club, and eighth to wear the No.6 in a game for premiership points.
Coach Phil Walsh admitted he considered playing Lever, who missed all of last season after rupturing his ACL at AIS-AFL training, earlier but wanted him to gain more match practice.
“We’ve been really happy with Jake’s development. He’s been keen to get out there and he’s an ambitious kid, which is great, but you’ve got to protect your kids a bit as well,” Walsh said.
“We hope that Jake is going to be a 200-game player for this footy club and a cornerstone, so we didn’t want to just throw him to the wolves first-up.
“He’s a skinny kid … but he’s a really competitive kid as well. I thought he could come in and play as a third tall, but that’s not really going to be his role (in our current structure). He’s had a lack of footy as well, and it takes a bit of time.
“Now, given the situation with our tall backs it’s probably time to see whether he can do it or not.”
CREDITS - Adelaide FC Website - http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-05-07/afl-team-crows-pull-the-lever
Last Modified on 07/05/2015 22:26