Crows veteran Sam Jacobs picked for 200th game, describes his honour as ‘really humbling’ and ‘overwhelming’
Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs has held his spot for Saturday’s clash with Collingwood, his 200th AFL game, while Port Adelaide has lost young wingman Xavier Duursma to injury.
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Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs has described playing 200 AFL games as “mind blowing’’ and revealed he this year feared he would fall agonisingly short of the milestone.
The popular 31-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will on Saturday reach the double century against powerhouse Collingwood at Adelaide Oval after Adelaide opted to play two genuine ruckmen for the first time this year in a big to tag team Magpies star Brodie Grundy.
“It’s really humbling for a country kid from the small town of Ardrossan (on the Yorke Peninsula) to play 200 games, a bit overwhelming,’’ Jacobs told The Adevertiser after he was named alongside young ruck sidekick Reilly O’Brien for the first time.
“To think that I can show kids back home that you can make it with a lot of hard work, it's blown my mind to be honest, and is something I’m very happy and proud about.’’
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Jacobs, who returned to the Crows side at the expense of O’Brien for the first time in more than four months against premier West Coast in Perth last Sunday, will partner the 23-year-old as coach Don Pyke attempts to nullify All-Australian Grundy’s enormous influence.
O’Brien was left out of the gallant 10-point loss to the Eagles after playing 17 consecutive games.
Long-kicking wingman Paul Seedsman joins him in returning to the Adelaide line-up, with Rory Atkins and Andy Otten dropped.
Former Magpie Seedsman will play his 100th match.
Co-captain Rory Sloane, who was forced from the field after hurting his right eye against West Coast, has been cleared to play.
Key defender Alex Keath will miss his fourth consecutive AFL game as he continues his rehab from an ankle injury with a return via the SANFL against Woodville-West Torrens on Sunday.
Former Blue Jacobs, who had played 181 of a possible 185 games for Adelaide until hurting his right knee against Sydney in round two, undergoing surgery and then being forced to reclaim his spot through strong form in the SANFL, said he was concerned he would not get back in the side this year because of O’Brien’s standout displays.
“Absolutely I thought that, that I might not be able to get back in because of Rory’s form, which is a real credit to him,’’ Jacobs said.
“I was thinking I just had to bide my time until maybe Rory got injured and I’ve been really clear in my mind the whole way through about just controlling what I can, to try to knock the (selection) door down, and I guess over time it’s shown that I have been good enough to get another opportunity.’’
Selected at pick one at the 2007 rookie draft by Carlton after being overlooked at the national draft and questioning whether he would make it into the big league, Woodville-West Torrens product Jacobs played 17 games for the Blues in 2009-10 before being traded to the Crows for picks 34 (Patrick McCarthy) and 67 (Andrew McInnes) at the 2010 national draft.
He made his Adelaide debut in round five, 2011, against the Blues and has played at least 19 games every season until this year.
“When I missed the draft I was just looking for an AFL opportunity and I will be forever grateful to Carlton for giving me that first call,’’ Jacobs said.
“It’s been an absolute dream come true to play AFL, to play with two great clubs and to have had the career I’ve had.
“But now I'm focused on making sure we keep our season alive by beating Collingwood and quelling Grundy, who is the complete player.
“It will be a special night and hopefully we get the right result.’’
The Magpies made one change, recalling former West Adelaide midfielder John Noble at the expense of Josh Daicos.
PORT Adelaide rolled the dice on classy defender Ryan Burton for its must-win game against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
Burton has missed four games with a strained hamstring and comes straight back into the side without a run in the SANFL.
Clever first-year forward/midfielder Zak Butters was also brought back into the team after being a late withdrawal from last Saturday’s impressive home win against Sydney with a bruised sternum.
Standout rookie Xavier Duursma will miss with a bruised heel while mid-season draft pick-up Cam Sutcliffe has been dropped, despite kicking two goals against the Swans.
The Kangaroos promoted Croweater Sam Durdin, a key utility, for forward Mason Wood.
ADELAIDE V COLLINGWOOD
Saturday 17 August, 4.05pm at Adelaide Oval
CROWS
B: Laird, Talia, Brown
HB: Kelly, Hartigan, Mackay
C: Seedsman, B. Crouch, Milera
HF: Smith, Walker, Lynch
F: Jacobs, Fogarty, Betts
FOLL: O’Brien, M. Crouch, Sloane
I/C: Knight, Gibbs, Douglas, Murphy
EMG: Greenwood, Jones, Otten, Himmelberg
IN: Seedsman, O’Brien
OUT: Atkins, Otten (both omitted)
MAGPIES
B: Greenwood, Scharenberg, Howe
HB: Crisp, Madgen, Maynard
C: Phillips, Pendlebury, Mayne
HF: Brown, Mihocek, Hoskin-Elliott
F: Elliott, Roughead, Sidebottom
FOLL: Grundy, Treloar, Adams
I/C: Noble, Thomas, Varcoe, Wills
EMG: Brown, Crocker, Daicos, Keane
IN: Noble
OUT: Daicos (omitted)
NORTH MELBOURNE V PORT ADELAIDE
Saturday 17 August, 6.55pm at Marvel Stadium
KANGAROOS
B: Williams, Thompson, Pittard
HB: Macmillan, Tarrant, Ahern
C: Simpkin, Higgins, Polec
HF: Anderson, Larkey, Garner
F: Ziebell, Brown, Zurhaar
FOLL: Goldstein, Thomas, Cunnington
I/C: Dumont, Atley, Durdin, Turner
EMG: Hrovat, Wood, Campbell, Hosie
IN: Durdin
OUT: Wood (omitted)
POWER
B: Houston, Clurey, Bonner
HB: Hartlett, Jonas, Byrne-Jones
C: Westhoff, Rockliff, Amon
HF: R. Gray, Dixon, S. Gray
F: Marshall, Ladhams, Rozee
FOLL: Ryder, Wines, Boak
I/C: Broadbent, Butters, Powell-Pepper, Burton
EMG: Sutcliffe, Drew, McKenzie, Lycett
IN: Butters, Burton
OUT: Duursma (injured), Sutcliffe (omitted)