Adelaide Crows taking a cautious approach with star midfielder Brad Crouch

THE Crows are managing star midfielder Brad Crouch during pre-season training after he finally overcame persistent injuries to play a career-high 20 games last year as recruit Sam Gibson blazes the track.

Rory Sloane leads from the front during the Adelaide Crows first training session for the year at Thebarton Oval on Monday. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

• Gibson sets early pace for Crows
• The Crows players ready to replace Lever
• Why Bryce Gibbs left Carlton
• Pre-Christmas bake whips Crows back into shape
• Why Crows should fear Crows in 2018

STAR midfielder Brad Crouch is being managed during pre-season training with the Crows taking a cautious approach after he finally overcame persistent injuries to play a career-high 20 games last year.

Crouch has not had an injury setback but given his history is on a modified program along with a number of teammates including Hugh Greenwood and Brodie Smith who are making good progress from surgery.

The Adelaide Crows in their return to training at Thebarton Oval on Monday. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

Smith, who had a knee reconstruction in September, is running and kicking the footy while Greenwood is running laps after Achilles surgery in November.

Crouch hurt his hamstring in pre-season last year, started the season in the SANFL and did not play AFL until Round 5 but there are no concerns he will miss any action this summer.

Smith is the only player on Adelaide’s list not expected to be fit for the JLT Series which begins in February.

The Crows returned to training for the new year on Monday where North Melbourne recruit Sam Gibson again showed his elite endurance base by winning the 2km time trial.

Ruckman Sam Jacobs said he was excited about the combined 361-games experience that comes with Gibson and fellow off-season recruit Bryce Gibbs.

“He’s (Gibson) the best (runner) I’ve seen, he looks to be cruising, it’s a great move by the club to get him and he’s certainly on a mission to give himself every chance to play and I look forward to having him on my team this year,” Jacobs said.

“Those guys who have played a lot of footy do bring a lot, they’re different players and give us different strengths which will hopefully improve us.

“They’re both versatile so it will be interesting to see where the coaches use them.”

Of the young brigade, Jacobs said Myles Poholke ran an impressive time trial, Rory Atkins had gone to “another level” and Tom Doedee can “smell and opportunity” now Jake Lever has gone.

Sam Gibson, who won the 2km time trial on Monday, has impressed his new Crows teammates. Brodie Smith, who is back in running, watches on. Picture: AAP Image/Mark Brake

He said the group as a whole had returned from their Christmas break in good condition after a few players were told to pull their socks up in December.

“It was touched on before Christmas but I think that’s just the group, where we’re at, how close we are and we have standards of hopefully wanting to get to a grand final again,” Jacobs said.

“I think that’s been a strength of the group in the time I’ve been here, really strong leaders who drive really good standards.

“We’ve always been around the mark and as a player I’m really proud to be part of a club that’s like that.

[e-mail]