Carlton captain Chris Judd will walk out into AAMI Stadium to face Adelaide on Saturday and probably take one last furtive glance to make sure Robert Shirley hasn't somehow crept onto the field.

Shirley's AFL career has faltered several times over the years but was always grounded in his ability to play a solid game on Judd, who last year was unable to have an influence in either game against Adelaide.

But the likely recall of Shirley for the game against the Blues was fouled up by his suspension for an unsightly spear-tackle in the SANFL, meaning the Crows have to look elsewhere for the man to stop Judd.

Given his present form it will be quite a task, as the Blues are coming off a model performance against Collingwood while the Crows wrestle with a trio of defeats and the growing perception that they will miss the finals in 2009.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig nominated Nathan van Berlo, Michael Doughty and Brent Reilly as the three men likely to be tried on Judd.

Reilly is the man fortunate to be playing as he was slated to be dropped before Shirley was deemed ineligible due to the failure of his appeal.

Craig said he was not prepared to compromise the changed coaching emphasis that has emerged over the past three weeks, encouraging his men to play with greater speed to create quality scoring chances.

"Our defensive mechanisms against Carlton are not affected by the way we want to move the ball, we expect those to be in place whether we play slow football or fast football, that doesn't change," Craig said.

"Carlton are playing pretty slick footy at the moment, so we'll have to be on our guard there to try to get the ball back off them as quick as we can.

"But then it's important for us where we're going, that we don't go back to some of the slower play we can play."

The Crows' win over Carlton in round 18 last year was viewed at the time as something of a watershed, as the team's best four players that day - Shirley, Ivan Maric, van Berlo and Brad Moran - were all regarded as lesser lights.

Since that game none have quite developed as desired, van Berlo and Maric in particular appearing to go backwards while Moran has been in and out of the side.

Craig explained this by referring to the many changes to Adelaide's list, which can also explain a slip in defensive standards now that Nathan Bassett and Kris Massie aren't roaming around alongside Ben Rutten and the injured Nathan Bock.

"I think they're progressing, you've got to understand it's not just those guys, and it's not an excuse at all, it's fact that we've made some really strong decisions in the last one or two years to go the way we have with our squad," said Craig.

"I've been reasonably happy with the way they're developing, at the moment some people would say it's been a bit slow, but we'll just keep going, keep putting the heat on and keep the expectations high."