Izak to the future: Rankine set for extended midfield run for Adelaide Crows after Round 5 hit

The Crows notched their first win after Izak Rankine was unleashed at the centre bounce against the Blues. Matthew Nicks doesn’t believe it's a coincidence.

Izak Rankine attended more centre bounces last week than he did for the entire opening of the season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Adelaide plans to get Izak Rankine into its centre-bounce mix more often after his standout performance against Carlton on Saturday.

Rankine helped spark the Crows’ breakthrough win on a day he attended 20 centre bounces (61 per cent), almost double the number (21) he had been at over the first four rounds.

Jake Soligo had a team-high 22 CBAs, while captain Jordan Dawson, Rory Laird and Matt Crouch registered season-low percentages.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks said the combination last Saturday was “probably a sign of where we’re heading”.

“The discussion is had as a group as to what’s the best mix for the next centre bounce, who do we need in, what’s the opposition’s doing,” Nicks said.

Izak Rankine attended more centre bounces last week than he did for the entire opening of the season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“We needed a little bit more out of our centre bounce and felt like changing up that mix helped us.

“We’d like to get Izak around the footy a little more when it comes to centre bounce.

“I thought Izak was a standout on the weekend.

“We’re mindful of not taking him away from what he can do ahead of the ball.

“Maybe in time he becomes a genuine on-baller and if that’s best for the team, he’s ready to embrace that.”

Adelaide appears likely to make two changes for its home match against Essendon on Friday night.

James Borlase will replace fellow key defender Jordon Butts (hamstring), while substitute Sam Berry is in line to be promoted after playing a crucial role off the bench.

Butts is expected to miss one to two weeks.

Veteran Brodie Smith had a lighter session on Thursday after nursing a sore lower back but Nicks was pretty confident he would play.

Adelaide still had no timeline for veteran Rory Sloane’s return in his recovery from eye surgery.

Matthew Nicks said Rankine’s influence might be what the doctor ordered for the Crows’ midfield. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

He said Sloane was continuing to train with goggles but not with full contact.

“He’s a champion of this footy and we’ll make sure he’s able to make that decision in his own time,” he said.

“He’s out there working mainly around the goggles and how he’s able to wear those and compete.

“(Full contact training) is probably his next step – putting his head in the hole is going to be a challenge for him.”

For weeks Nicks had fronted press conferences saying his side was not that far away from winning, but he was not thinking ‘I told you so’ after beating the Blues.

“We’d played some very good sides early in the year and we feel like right now, even though it’s one win, that we have some momentum,” he said of his 1-4 side.

“There’s such a fine line between sitting in that change room disappointed and sitting there ecstatic at what happened.”

Originally published as Izak to the future: Rankine set for extended midfield run for Adelaide Crows after Round 5 hit