\n Matthew Nicks has given an update on an injured players\u2019 progress and if they\u2019ll be fit for the clash against the Blues.\n <\/p>\n
Adelaide Senior Coach Matthew Nicks has confirmed some early team news ahead of the Crows\u2019 Gather Round clash against Carlton, with a key forward set to miss another week.<\/p>\n
The Crows will open Gather Round against Carlton at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night but will be without Darcy Fogarty as he continues to recover from a back injury.<\/p>\n
Fogarty was a late out for Adelaide\u2019s Good Friday game against Fremantle, and speaking to the media on Monday, Nicks said the 26-year-old would need another week on the sidelines with the short turnaround.<\/p>\n
But in some positive news, Nicks expected winger Isaac Cumming to put his hand up for selection after he was also ruled out of the Dockers clash late due to<\/p>\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t get Fog back,\u201d Nicks said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFog\u2019s going to be another week. He won\u2019t be right by Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsaac Cumming will be good to go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a virus, a 24-hour virus. You talk about things that pop-up, he did everything he possibly could, he went out for a pre-game warm up\u2026 he felt great, but just couldn\u2019t stay on the ground long enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sluggish starts have plagued the Crows so far this season, and second-half fightbacks have fallen short against Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle respectively, leaving Adelaide with a 1-3 win\/loss record.<\/p>\n
The Blues, meanwhile, have started games strongly, but have been unable to hold a lead in the second half.<\/p>\n
Nicks said his team\u2019s execution in contests during the first halves this season had been down, with players and coaching work hard to address it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big challenge for us, starting games and to not leave it too late to find our game and then almost try to fall across the line in the end,\u201d Nicks said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a work on, it\u2019s not an unknown, it\u2019s pretty clear what we aren’t getting right in the first half, and the contest (against Fremantle) was not where it needed to be.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Carlton, if you put the games together this year, 500 minutes I think they\u2019ve played or there about\u2019s of footy, I think they\u2019ve led for nearly 400 minutes,<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir first halves have been outstanding, they\u2019re one of the best starting teams in the competition\u2026 We\u2019ve got our work cut out for us because we\u2019re not necessarily starting well, so we\u2019ve got a real focus on the start of the game and how we go about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adelaide faces Carlton at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, at 7.10pm.<\/p>\n
The game will be broadcast live on Channel 7 Adelaide, Kayo and Fox Footy.<\/p>\n
The match against Carlton is a fully ticketed game.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fans without a ticket can watch the game live from the Footy Festival at Elder Park.<\/p>\n