FIRST-year defender Jake Lever looms an important inclusion for Adelaide this weekend as the club prepares to take on West Coast for a place in the finals. 

The 19-year-old was rested from the Crows' 87-point win over the Brisbane Lions but is fit and available for Sunday's clash. 

The Eagles only narrowly trail Hawthorn for total points scored this year and they flexed their offensive muscle again on the weekend, with Josh Kennedy booting seven goals, Josh Hill four and Mark LeCras three in the club's 77-point thrashing of the Western Bulldogs.

Crows defender Ricky Henderson said the return of Lever, who has shown remarkable maturity and ability in his debut season, would provide a boost for the back six.

"Our defenders have a got a really big job ahead of them this week… [but] we've got a couple of defenders in really good form," Henderson said.

"We rested Jakey Lever last week so hopefully he might come back this week and be fresh.

"He's just really composed which is really good for a first-year player; down back he just seems to have a lot of time and space.

"His one-on-one stuff is really good as well, so that's just what he's bringing to the team and hopefully he's back this week and he can do that for us."

Henderson also said the club's start would remain a focus this week after another slow first term against the Lions.

The Lions led at quarter-time before the Crows got going and ran away with the game.

Adelaide is ranked 15th for first terms this year but fifth for second quarters.

West Coast is ranked second in the League for fast starts, highlighting the need for the Crows to fire from the first bounce on Sunday.

"That's what we want to do - get off to a really good start. We couldn't do that on the weekend which was a little bit disappointing," he said.

"That's something we still strive for and whether we change a few things up with our training for our starts I'm not sure, or our warm-up.

"We'll address that throughout the week."