Crows tap into their 31st and 32nd men as Don Pyke calls up Sturt flag-winning midfielder Patrick Wilson

ADELAIDE’S mission to break a three-game losing streak - and stay ahead in the win-loss count - by beating Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday will test the team’s depth

Adelaide's Patrick Wilson celebrates kicking a goal against the Eagles in the SANFL this month. Picture: Tom Huntley

ADELAIDE is delving deeper into its rookie list by calling up midfielder Patrick Wilson for his AFL start at the MCG on Saturday against refreshed finals contender Hawthorn.

Wilson, 23, will be the 31st player to represent the Crows this season that has forced coach Don Pyke to test the depth of his squad as 10th-placed Adelaide tumbles under the weight of a heavy injury list.

This count rises to 32 with the first appearance in two years of eager defender Kyle Cheney.

A member of the Sturt 2017 SANFL premiership team, the big-kicking Wilson has been in strong form in an under-performing Crows state league team. The strong-bodied Wilson is the third rookie-listed Crow to be called to AFL action this year.

Wilson is one of four changes – three unforced – with Adelaide still denied All-Australian defender Rory Laird (broken hand) and running forward Tom Lynch (ribs) and this week loses reliable defender Luke Brown (left ankle).

Pyke has discarded rookie-listed midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen, who has appeared to have hit the wall in his comeback season after a serious knee injury wiped out his 2017 campaign. As expected, Pyke has dropped first-year forward Darcy Fogarty and rookie-listed forward Lachlan Murphy who did not make a strong impression in Adelaide’s three-point loss to Fremantle at Perth Stadium on Sunday.

They are replaced by novice goalkicking midfielder Jordan Gallucci, who last played in the AFL in the round 10 91-point massacre from Melbourne at Alice Springs; Cheney and veteran swingman Andy Otten.

Cheney last played in the AFL in the 2016 semi-final against Sydney at the SCG. His 2017 season was wrecked by hamstring issues.

HAWTHORN returns from last week’s bye – and restarts after beating Port Adelaide by three points a fortnight ago – with one change. The Hawks have recalled midfielder Will Langford at the expense of key forward Tim O’Brien.

Adelaide returns to the MCG for the first time since its grand final defeat in September – and dealing with the challenge of needing to stop a three-game losing streak. The Crows have not lost four in a row since 2011 when the team was in a six-game rut from rounds 9-14.

Adelaide will have its mid-season bye after the clash with Hawthorn and restarts on Saturday June 30 at Adelaide Oval against league leader West Coast.