“It’s like he hadn’t been injured,’’ says Crows teammate Bryce Gibbs

BRILLIANT Adelaide defender Brodie Smith will make his long-awaited AFL comeback in Showdown 45, with teammate Bryce Gibbs declaring he thought he was ready to go “two months ago’’.

READY TO GO: Crow Brodie Smith kicks long in his SANFL comeback match against Central District. Picture: Tom Huntley.

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BRILLIANT Adelaide defender Brodie Smith will make his long-awaited AFL comeback in Showdown 45 on Saturday.

Coach Don Pyke told knee reconstruction victim Smith he would be playing his first AFL match since September 7 last year at a team meeting at Adelaide Oval following training on Wednesday.

HUGE SHOWDOWN TEAM NEWS!

IN: B. Smith 🤗

📰 https://t.co/7cUE92gSbY#weflyasone pic.twitter.com/UHeEVsASiK

— Adelaide Crows (@Adelaide_FC) August 1, 2018

Pyke’s announcement came shortly after Crows midfielder Bryce Gibbs said Smith had been so impressive on the training track that he thought he was ready to go “two months ago’’.

“It's like he hadn’t been injured,’’ Gibbs said of the 2014 All-Australian he has yet to play a game with.

“I thought he was ready two months ago, the way he was zipping around at training and his intensity and the way he was kicking the ball and moving across the ground.

“He’s played some really good footy at SANFL level and from what I’ve seen with his application to his training and rehab over the past 12 months, I’ve got no doubt he’ll be ready to go if he gets picked.”

North's Aidan Tropiano is spoiled by Adelaide's Brodie Smith. Picture: Image/ Brenton Edwards

Smith, 26, hasn’t played an AFL match since rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Crows’ qualifying final win against GWS last year.

But he had a seamless recovery from a knee reconstruction and has excelled in two SANFL games back from his injury against Central District and North Adelaide, averaging 28 disposals and seven marks across half-back.

Gibbs has seen enough to believe Smith can cope with the heat of a Showdown in his first AFL match for 11 months.

The dashing backman and kick-in specialist is one of several Crows available to return from injury for the blockbuster derby, along with Rising Star contender Tom Doedee (concussion) and veterans Richard Douglas (ankle) and David Mackay (ribs) who got through training on Wednesday.

“We had a good hit out and they all got through as far as I am aware and are putting their hand up (to play),’’ he said.

“It’s just a match committee decision now and hopefully they can make an impact if they get picked.’’

Forward Mitch McGovern, who is trying to shake off a shoulder injury he sustained in last week’s loss to Melbourne, also trained.

Adelaide must replace injured wingman Paul Seedsman (hamstring) and suspended defender Kyle Cheney.

While the finals appear to be a long shot for the 12th-placed Crows as they need to win their four remaining home-and-away season matches to make the eight, Gibbs said they haven’t given up hope.

“We’ve got to win all our games to make finals and that’s all we’ve got to do, it’s pretty plain and simple for us,’’ he said.

“Until it’s absolutely, mathematically impossible that we can’t get there, we think our season’s still alive.”

“For us, it (the Showdown) is our season.’’

Former Blue Gibbs’ only previous Showdown in round eight ended in pain after Steven Motlop’s running goal with 21 seconds left snatched a five-point win for the Power.

He is hoping for a first derby win in front of the Crows home crowd this time around.

“It was a little intimidating playing in front of the Port home crowd and to have the game pinched from you was a bit of a heartbreaker but I’m really looking forward to playing in front of 50,000 of our fans this week,’’ Gibbs said.

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