Ruck a major contest as Adelaide Crows tipped to go in unchanged against Richmond

He has been the Adelaide Crows’ leading ruckman for the better part of a decade. But coach Don Pyke has hinted Sam Jacobs might have an uphill battle to get back in to the AFL side.

Reilly O'Brien looks like he’s the new No. 1 ruckman for the Crows. Picture: Sam Wundke/AAP

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One of the constants at the Crows over the years — that Sam Jacobs plays almost all of the minutes in the ruck — has been challenged by his longstanding understudy set to keep him out against Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.

Reilly O’Brien has been in fine form covering for Jacobs over the past 10 weeks. He has proved that he has the engine to run big minutes and was in particularly fine touch against the Giants and veteran big man Shane Mumford on Saturday night.

Reilly O’Brien played his best game of his young career against Giants giant Shane Mumford on Saturday night. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos/Getty Images

It also comes as Jacobs has been finding form in the SANFL — but despite kicking five goals last week, it’s still not at a level where it warrants an automatic upgrade to the AFL side.

For the first time since Don Pyke arrived at the club, there is a genuine battle for the No. 1 ruck spot — which at the Crows, as a rule, is the only one.

“With our ruckmen, ‘ROB’ (O’Reilly) was pretty good last week,” Pyke said. “It’s going to be pretty hard to change that up at this point, I would have thought.

“Pleasingly the guys who played last week have all played pretty well so I don’t really anticipate too many changes to the squad.”

It’s not good news for “Sauce” Jacobs, who now has a battle to find his way back in.

It seemed a formality when he first injured himself early in the year that he’d be back as soon as he was fit; not so much anymore.

“ROB’s come in and performed really strongly over those 10 weeks and obviously last week he was good.

“And Sauce was good in the SANFL again.

“It’s a good spot to be in; we’ve got two guys who are competing for a spot.

“It’s one of those spots that genuinely is one (spot); we only play one ruck.

“But I know Sauce is a competitor as well.

“He’ll be scratching away to get his spot back.

“He hasn’t had that (being No. 2) for a while.”

Sam Jacobs and Bryce Gibbs are both tipped to be overlooked for the Richmond clash. Picture SARAH REED

Pyke is expected to go in unchanged this week after Tom Lynch this week was ruled out to return from a calf injury in the warm-up before the win against the Giants.

And the last two wins, which has put the Crows at a 7-5 record and in fifth place on the ladder, has confirmed to Adelaide how well it can play when it executes it pre-match plans.

“We’re starting to get an understanding what creates winning for ourselves,” Pyke said. “That’s what we focus on.

“It’s just around your execution, being able to do it for longer.

Richmond, which beat the Crows to win the league pennant in 2017, has lost its past two matches.

But Pyke dismissed the Tigers’ recent form; the quality of the list remains imposing and you’d be foolish not to treat them with the utmost respect.

“You look though their midfield with (Dion) Prestia, (Trent) Cotchin and (Dustin) Martin … they’re a dangerous team and we know what they’re capable of and they sit level with us on the ladder for a reason.”