He hasn’t played AFL for two years but Reilly O’Brien can fill Sam Jacobs’ void, says Daniel Talia
ADELAIDE has backed two-game ruckman Reilly O’Brien to fill the void left by the possible absence of mainstay Sam Jacobs for Friday night's home clash against the Western Bulldogs.
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ADELAIDE has backed two-game ruckman Reilly O’Brien — who hasn’t played an AFL match for two seasons — to fill the void left by the possible absence of mainstay Sam Jacobs for Friday night's home clash against the Western Bulldogs.
Jacobs, who has played 165 of the Crows’ past 169 matches, is on standby for the birth of his and wife Izzy’s first child, which is due this week.
Jacobs says he will miss the game if Izzy goes into labour — a decision backed by star Adelaide defender Daniel Talia.
“If Izzy goes into labour, he’ll be there, and it’s a pretty common thing these days to put family ahead of one game of footy,” Talia said.
“It will be their first child and a pretty special moment for ‘Sauce’ (Jacobs), so if it happens to fall on Friday night, we’ve got a back-up in Reilly O’Brien, who is a really good ruckman.
“If ‘Sauce’ happens to not be available, we’ve got a like-for-like replacement ready to go.”
Drafted as a rookie in 2015 and elevated to the senior list the following year, O’Brien has played just two AFL games because of Jacobs’ class and durability.
They were against Brisbane and Fremantle, where he took on giant Docker Aaron Sandilands, in rounds 20 and 21, 2016.
He averaged a solid 14 disposals, 21 hit-outs and kicked a goal.
The 202cm, 101kg O’Brien hurt a shoulder in his last SANFL game against North Adelaide last week but is expected to be fit this week.
Apart from being on baby watch, Jacobs is nursing a sore back after suffering back spasms in the first quarter of last Saturday’s five-point Showdown 44 loss to Port Adelaide.
He told The Advertiser that he was unable to bend over the following day but does not believe his fitness will keep him out of the clash with the Dogs.
“I did the same thing last year (in the pre-season) and it came good pretty quickly, so I’d expect it to settle down in the next couple of days,’’ he said.
The Crows are sweating on the fitness of captain and No. 1 key forward Taylor Walker, who hurt his glute in the first term against the Power.
He returned to the field to kick a goal from well outside 50m as Adelaide made a late charge.
But he has been handicapped by injury this year, missing plenty of pre-season training and round one with a foot injury and round seven with a strained hamstring.
“Judging from the end of the game, kicking that 60m goal, it can’t be too bad,” Talia said.
“I don’t think it was another hamstring, he just had a bit of tightness through that glute.
“He played out the game and should be all right.’’
Key defender Kyle Hartigan could be available after missing three games with a hamstring injury.
andrew.capel@news.com.au
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