Porps feels Sanderson’s axe

Out-of-favour forward Jason Porplyzia has been dropped and will play for the Crows reserves on Sunday. Picture: Morne de Klerk. Source: Getty Images

JASON Porplyzia's challenge to retain his place in the Crows attack - against Adelaide's heavy investment in Carlton free agent Eddie Betts - has turned sour.

Porplyzia's form line in the opening two rounds of the AFL premiership season has not lived up to the promise of his encouraging pre-season when Adelaide seemed capable of mixing and matching Porplyzia and Betts.

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Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson last night cast aside Porplyzia, 29, for tomorrow's sold-out home-opener against Sydney at Adelaide Oval.

He made the predictable five changes in reaction to the 55-point loss to Port Adelaide in Showdown XXXVI at the new Oval.

Porplyzia falls as Sanderson recalls Jared Petrenko to work the small-forwards tandem with Betts.

Hard-edged defender Kyle Hartigan replaces Sam Shaw. Key forward-ruckman Josh Jenkins returns to cover the loss of Shaun McKernan (concussion).

First-year midfielder Matt Crouch gets his first AFL game while replacing his older brother Brad Crouch (broken left leg).

Inexperienced forward Lewis Johnston also was dropped as Sanderson seeks to plug the AFL's last-ranked defence by recalling impressive small defender Rory Laird.

SYDNEY has regained Lewis Roberts-Thomson after losing much-valued Swans, Craig Bird (calf) and Sam Reid (Achilles to injury).

Yet again, there is no Kurt Tippett (knee) to face his former Crows team-mates for the first time as a Swan.

Both the Crows and Swans are searching for their first win after disappointing starts in which Adelaide has lost to Geelong and the Power while Sydney has failed against Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood.

Sanderson returns to the new Oval on Saturday with his team still feeling its way on the long and narrow venue.

But he insists his players must play the "Crows way" - a theme so far best reflected in co-captain Rory Sloane's relentless work to win games.

Sanderson concedes his team did not handle the pressure of Showdown XXXVI - that applied by Port's players, the pro-Power crowd and perhaps the occasion of the Oval's re-opening for football.

"There was the pressure Port put on us - and the pressure we perceived," Sanderson said.

"We, unfortunately, created some of the most basic skill errors under no pressure. It is an area we have to work on - through training and by being exposed to match-day anxiety more often.

"The noise at Adelaide Oval is incredible. On the weekend, it was like a final if not a grand final.

"Doing a media interview on the boundary before the game I could not hear Gerard Healy ask me a question from two metres away.

"So imagine what the players felt."

PORT ADELAIDE on Friday night will confirm its line-up - an unchanged line-up - for its clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Cam Hitchcock, Cam O'Shea and Aaron Young have been added to the 25-man squad.

NORTH MELBOURNE has former West Adelaide defender Joel Tippett in its 25-man squad that will be trimmed to the match 22 this evening.

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