ADELAIDE is preparing for Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury to keep a close eye on Crows star Rory Sloane in Friday night's clash at Adelaide Oval. 

Pendlebury did an outstanding job on Carlton ball magnet Patrick Cripps last week, limiting the contested-ball monster to just five clearances in the Magpies' 24-point victory. 

Sloane was kept in check in the corresponding fixture last year by Levi Greenwood, who is sidelined with a knee injury. 

Coach Don Pyke said Sloane was getting used to having close attention from the opposition.

"I think Rory prepares now for the eventuality that he might get a run-with," Pyke said. 

"Last week, from looking at the game, it was more of Pendlebury being accountable for Cripps at the stoppage. 

"One of (Cripps') great strengths is to win clearances, and he kept him down to five clearances on the night, so he did a great job there.

"What view they take against our midfield and how they want to go about it, we'll see, but we'll talk about the possibility of that happening for Rory." 

The Crows will also be wary of the Magpies sending their midfielders into the forward line as they have done in the opening few rounds. 

"They've done that for a few weeks, whether it's (Adam) Treloar or (Steele) Sidebottom, Pendlebury's down there occasionally, (Taylor) Adams as well, more out of the goalsquare as a deeper forward," Pyke said. 

"We'll look at that in terms of how we structure our back six up. 

"It allows them to keep some of those quality players on the ground and then we look at what that means for how we structure the backline up and get the match-ups right." 

The Crows held a closed training session at Football Park on Wednesday morning.

Pyke said they were monitoring the fitness of a couple of players coming off Saturday night's win against St Kida at Etihad Stadium, but declined to say who they were.

"I won't go into any detail," Pyke said. 

"We've got selection, then we'll name our team tomorrow night." 

However, he confirmed skipper Taylor Walker would be good to go for his third game for the season after having an interrupted pre-season with a foot injury. 

"We've just got to take into account the build-up he had," Pyke said.

"He came in off not a lot of training or game time before his first game against Richmond. 

"Second one up was a little bit harder, but he'll work through that and generally his third game he comes back in a better space."