SCOTT Camporeale is backing former Crows skipper Nathan van Berlo to return to his best after being dropped to the SANFL for the first time in almost a decade.
Van Berlo last played in the SANFL in round 21, 2005 for South Adelaide – his debut season in the AFL.
The 29-year-old had played every game this season but has struggled to recover his form after a 2014 campaign ruined by a ruptured Achilles tendon in the pre-season.
His average number of possessions has dropped to fewer than 15 a game this year, in contrast to the 17, 18 and 24 a game he'd averaged in 2013, 2012 and 2011.
Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield stepped in as acting co-captains last season before van Berlo was permanently replaced as skipper this year by Taylor Walker.
Camporeale was coy on exactly what van Berlo's brief will be on Saturday when the SANFL Crows take on North Adelaide, but tipped the midfielder would recover his form quickly enough.
"Nathan's coming off a long-term injury, he's missed a lot of footy. So in my time there are sometimes issues with consistency getting back into form. I mean, 12 months out of the game is a long time," Camporeale said.
"Even by his own admission he's not playing the way he's like to play and he's just going to go back and play SANFL.
"He's really important to our make-up but unfortunately in this industry you've got to be able to hold your spot in the team and produce consistency of form and effort.
"His effort's been outstanding – [I'd] never take that away from him – but we just need more from him in that two hours."
Camporeale said van Berlo had taken the news of his demotion as well as possible, describing the veteran as a "pro".
Utility James Podsiadly has been included in Adelaide's extended squad for Sunday's Showdown against Port Adelaide, which would be the 33-year-old's first game of the season if he makes the cut.
Podsiadly moved into defence early in the final season of his contract, hoping to break into the senior side given Josh Jenkins had filled his spot in attack.
A fractured back sidelined him for a month but he's worked himself back into form and demanded selection.
"He's been back from his back injury and he's played really well at SANFL level. He's a real target forward for us so he deserves to be in there," Camporeale said, despite giving no indication if Podsiadly would face the Power.
If selected, Podsiadly could prove a critical player given Adelaide's inability to kick a winning score this season's earlier Showdown.
The Crows had 71 inside 50s to just 42 on that day, but could only manage 13 goals to Port's 18 in round five and Camporeale said efficiency in his side's offensive half had been a focus this week.
