ADELAIDE unveiled an exciting forward line in its match simulation against Fremantle on Friday, with star recruit Izak Rankine playing a starring role in attack to prove his value immediately.
Rankine, who crossed to the Crows from Gold Coast during last year's Trade Period, booted three goals to lead his new team to an 11-point win against the Dockers at Victor George Kailis Oval.
Rankine, who rotated into the midfield at times, helped turn the game after Fremantle made a fast start, making the most of his disposals and providing the highlight of the match with a superb snap over his shoulder.
He was part of a balanced forward line that saw excellent performances from tall forwards Darcy Fogarty and Elliott Himmelberg and versatile Shane McAdam, who all kicked two goals each.
The 12.5 (77) to 10.6 (66) win was soured somewhat by a hamstring injury to defender Josh Worrell, while new captain Jordan Dawson looked proppy late and finished early as a precaution after a knock to the knee.
The performance was encouraging for the Crows, who fielded close to their full-strength team for four quarters, before both sides exposed their depth for three periods thereafter.
The performance of inside midfielders Sam Berry and Rory Laird were excellent, winning plenty of the ball, while former skipper Rory Sloane made an encouraging return from his knee reconstruction, spending significant time on the wing.
The Dockers would have been encouraged by the form of their own recruits, with midfielder Jaeger O'Meara making a terrific start and winning several clean clearances.
Ruckman Luke Jackson showed he will do a bit of everything this season. He worked in tandem with Sean Darcy to control the ruck, also pushing forward to kick one goal and spending time behind the ball.
The most exciting passage of play for the Dockers saw Jackson follow up a centre bounce in the second quarter, release O'Meara into space with a handball, before Nat Fyfe led aggressively at the ball and marked inside 50.
Fyfe finished with three goals in a strong outing, playing as the deepest forward throughout and setting up teammates with some creative ball use on several occasions.
The Dockers looked at their most dangerous early when they broke away to an 18-point lead with four of the first five goals, including two from key forward Matt Taberner, who played a half.
The Crows then went on a run of their own, cutting the margin to three points at half-time before dominating the third quarter.
The visitors lifted their pressure through the midfield and stifled Fremantle's ball movement, kicking five unanswered goals themselves as the Dockers struggled to contain their bounce off half-back.
Taylor Walker (managed) was missing for the Crows, while Freo went in without injured trio Michael Walters (Achilles), Michael Frederick (quad) and Nathan O'Driscoll (foot) as well as defenders Heath Chapman and Luke Ryan.
YOUNG GUNS
Both teams fielded close to their strongest line-ups for the four-quarter match, leaving draftees and other young players to battle it out in a separate hit-out over three periods. Second-year Dockers Matthew Johnson and Neil Erasmus were in that boat, while Adelaide draftees Hugh Bond, Billy Dowling and Max Michalanney were also given minutes in the second hit-out.
SWITCHING POSITIONS
Nat Fyfe was a natural in his new role as a deep forward, leading hard and kicking three goals, with his speed off the mark proving a handful. Fellow Fremantle forward Sam Sturt had a run on the wing at times as he looks for an avenue into the team. Adelaide forward Josh Rachele was a regular at centre bounces early, making a bright start to the game but fading somewhat.
INJURY WATCH
Adelaide defender Josh Worrell's day was short-lived, with the 21-year-old suffering a hamstring injury in the first quarter. The Crows were less concerned about Jordan Dawson, who finished early as a precaution because of a knee complaint. Fremantle got through unscathed, with forward Michael Frederick putting in a solid running session at decent pace before the match kicked off as he recovers from a quad injury. Andrew Brayshaw was on managed minutes after illness last week.
FANTASY TEMPTERS
If you're paying up for Rory Laird (MID, $1.07M) you would not have been disappointed with his first hitout, playing as an inside midfielder and racking up possessions. Sidekick Sam Berry (MID, $746,000) looked an improved player, too, with a leading role onball. Luke Pedlar (FWD, $213,000) spent most of his time forward and provided good value for the team with his defensive pressure, occasionally rotating up the ground. For the Dockers, midfield pair Caleb Serong (MID, $777,000) and Andrew Brayshaw (MID, $995,000) got involved frequently as the Dockers kicked their way through the middle of the ground. Liam Henry (MID/FWD, $339,000) looks a step closer to starting on a wing.