As the GIANTS get set take on the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, we’ve been keeping a close eye on all the news coming from West Lakes this week. 

The Crows host the GIANTS in this week’s Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round and it holds a special significance for both sides, who will wear specially designed jumpers for the game.

It holds even greater significance for Crows star Eddie Betts, with his Aunty, Susie Betts, designing Adelaide’s jumper.

“Knowing that she (Betts’ Aunty) designed it, it’ll be very special to run out with this on the weekend,” Betts said earlier this week.

"It's very spiritual and it has got a lot of healing as well.

“What the Club has been through in the last three years, I'm glad that she put a lot of healing through this jumper because I think this Club needs a little bit of healing. 

Former Crows champion and current Adelaide board member Mark Ricciuto penned a column in the Adelaide Advertiser this week previewing the game and making some bold statements about the GIANTS.

“The AFL has created a monster and its name is Greater Western Sydney,” he wrote.

“It’s taken five years to grow up but it’s starting to get intimidating.

“Give it another two to three years and it’s going to be one hell of a beast. One that could win several flags.”

He also previewed Saturday’s match. 

“The midfield will be an important battle as it always is in big games. Shane Mumford and the much improved Rory Lobb have been brilliant in giving their highly talented and deep midfield first crack at the ball,” Ricciuto wrote.

“If Adelaide is to win, then it needs to win the contested ball against GWS which this year is the third best side (+14 per game) in this area behind Sydney and the Western Bulldogs. The Crows then need to use the ball like they did in the first month of the year and not turn it over.

“If they do turn it over, GWS will be too quick and make the Crows look slow.”

He also wrote about the GIANTS’ backline, who will be without Tim Mohr (hamstring) and will unlikely have Matt Buntine (concussion) for this week’s game.

“GWS has a few injuries with its key defenders so it could be set for Tex Walker or Josh Jenkins to have a night out,” Ricciuto wrote.

“Defending was an issue for GWS last year but this season it seems to have bought into doing it as a group. In 2016 it has only averaged 76 points against per week which is the fourth lowest in the AFL.

“Heath Shaw is in career-best form, even though he won last year’s best-and-fairest, but he might have to keep an eye on Eddie Betts or Charlie Cameron which should keep him busy.”

He summed it up with:

“This is a huge game for both clubs.

“The result will tell a big story. Bring it on.”

In injury news, the Crows are sweating on the fitness of defender Luke Brown and won’t make a call on his availability until later this week.

Brown injured his ankle when he was tackled during the last quarter of Adelaide’s win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.

Crows General Manager of High Performance Brett Burton told the Crows’ website he was cautiously optimistic.

“The early indications are that he (Brown) may be okay, but we’re going to get some further assessment over the next 24 – 48 hours,” Burton said. 

“We’ll make a decision on that later in the week.”

Fellow small defender Rory Laird and young midfielder Matt Crouch will both aim to prove their fitness at training during the week. 

Laird, 22, has missed the past three games with a fractured toe, while Crouch sat out the clash with Gold Coast on the weekend with general soreness. 

“Lairdy’s been training fairly well the last couple of sessions, so we’ll look to get him into the main training session and assess him later in the week,” Burton said.

The GIANTS travel to Adelaide to take on the Crows in the 2016 Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round on Saturday night.