Adelaide to risk 'critical' Petrenko

Updated September 19, 2012 14:34:56

Adelaide will risk playing Jared Petrenko against Hawthorn on Saturday despite the forward dislocating a shoulder against Fremantle last week.

Petrenko injured his right shoulder in the final minutes of Adelaide's semi-final win on Friday night.

Crows coach Brenton Sanderson says Petrenko will be named in the side on Thursday, then face a fitness test on Friday morning before Adelaide fly to Melbourne.

"He did train today and every time I see him, he tells me that he's playing which is a good sign," Sanderson told reporters on Wednesday.

"He is such a strong kid, he's a player that is just desperate to play in a prelim final."

Sanderson said Petrenko was "critical for our forward set-up".

"He does provide great forward defensive pressure," Sanderson said.

"But also too he has kicked goals for us this year.

"And I'd hate to be tackled by him and I'd hate for him to hit me. He does send the fear of God through the opposition at times when he's in the area, when he hits, he hits hard."

Sanderson will be forced to make one change from his semi-final side, with defender Sam Shaw's season ending with a hamstring strain.

Utility Andy Otten, who has played just one AFL game since round five, is favoured to replace Shaw.

"He hasn't had his best season in terms of continuity and being in great form for the entire year," Sanderson said of Otten.

"But he is a good player, so if he's the one that comes in, I'm sure he will play his heart out and he can certainly play that role that Sam Shaw has been playing."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000

First posted September 19, 2012 14:33:24

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Crows confirm Petrenko fit for prelim

Updated September 21, 2012 17:24:22

Tenacious Adelaide forward Jared Petrenko has survived a fitness test on his troublesome shoulder and will play in Saturday's preliminary final against Hawthorn.

Petrenko dislocated his right shoulder in the last minutes of Adelaide's semi-final victory against Fremantle last Friday night.

The 22-year-old was given a searching test on Friday behind closed doors before joining his Crows team-mates on their flight to Melbourne.

Adelaide's strategy and innovation coach Dean Bailey said Petrenko was "ready to go" for the knockout MCG final against the Hawks.

"We put him through a pretty vigorous test today, of wrestling and tackling," Bailey told reporters at Adelaide airport.

"Not that we needed too much convincing, but we just needed to see him do it at absolute top speed and we saw that.

Unless something unforeseen happens in the next 24 hours, he'll line-up."

The Crows made one change to their semi-final side, with Andy Otten replacing injured defender Sam Shaw (hamstring).

But Bailey said the Crows could make a late change, with tall forward Josh Jenkins being considered to stretch an under-sized Hawthorn defence.

"It's going to be a sunny day in Melbourne tomorrow so maybe Josh Jenkins might get an opportunity, another tall forward," Bailey said.

" ... Our tall forwards will probably be the question on their (Hawthorn) whiteboard, I would think.

"Those possibilities are still on the table for us before the game."

Bailey dismissed as irrelevant Hawthorn's hot favouritism for the match, but needled the Hawks by suggesting their weekend off may work in Adelaide's favour.

"There is no doubt that the weekend off is deserved when you win a (qualifying) final and it certainly does freshen you up," he said.

"We hope to be on our toes at the start and hopefully they might be a bit rusty at the start.

"We have got to take advantage of that - any opportunity we can, particularly in the early stages, we have got to make sure we get scoreboard pressure.

"The talk out of Melbourne is that they (Hawthorn) have got one hand on the premiership cup ... the bookies have made it very loud and clear about where they see it.

"But once the ball is bounced, it will be who can win it and who can use it and take their opportunities."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted September 21, 2012 16:46:16

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Petrenko hopes to play against Hawks

Updated September 17, 2012 15:55:51

Adelaide forward Jared Petrenko trained with the Crows on Monday and remains optimistic about lining up in Saturday's preliminary final against Hawthorn at the MCG.

Petrenko dislocated his right shoulder during Adelaide's semi-final win against Fremantle.

Crows assistant coach Mark Bickley says the team would miss his energy and aggression if he is ruled out.

"He's important, not just to structure but also his attack on the opposition is really good and he's fervent in his pressure," Bickley said.

"Having said that if it's not Jared we've got plenty of other options for people to be able to play that role."

Petrenko was close to tears after the Dockers game, in clear discomfort and fearing for his ability to play on in the finals.

The 22-year-old - who has kicked 16 goals for the season so far - incurred the injury in the final minutes of the match.

But Bickley said Petrenko was still optimistic of taking his place against Hawthorn.

"He is quite buoyant in terms of his chance," Bickley said.

"Obviously it's going to be tough for him to get up, and the style of play he plays, he's a pretty rugged type.

"But at the same time he's also a very professional and very determined young man."

Bickley said the club's medical staff will have the final say.

"You take a little bit of responsibility as the player in being honest about how you're feeling," he said.

"But it's not like we'll play him without testing it at some stage so I'd suggest later in the week if he was still in the mix that he would have to prove to the coaching staff that it is capable of standing up."

Adelaide's structure is already under serious stress in the back six following the first two rounds of the finals series.

The Crows have lost two key defenders - Rising Star winner Daniel Talia (broken arm) and Sam Shaw (hamstring) - for the season.

This weekend Adelaide will have to find a way to stop Hawthorn's stellar forward line, with the likes of Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead, Cyril Rioli, Jack Gunston and David Hale providing a stern test for any AFL defence.

Crows defender Andy Otten has played only five games in 2012, but he has already been identified as a likely replacement for Shaw.

"We are delving pretty deep into our key position stocks in key defenders," Bickley said.

"And we have lost a couple with injury late this year.

"So to be able to have a player in the calibre of Andy - had finals experience before, bigger body and has proven that he can stand up and play on a big stage - that is probably a fortunate position to be in."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted September 17, 2012 15:40:39

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