Wayne Carey will play his first AFL game for Adelaide in Saturday's pre-season playoff against Collingwood - if he emerges unscathed from a training session on Friday.

Carey, the former Kangaroos captain, was on Friday included in a 28-man Crows squad for the Wizard Cup grand final at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.

But the controversial forward remains no certainty to play against the Magpies.

Crows football operations manager John Reid said Carey, who has not played in Adelaide's pre-season campaign because of a back-related hamstring strain, must prove his fitness at training on Friday.

Reid said Crows captain Mark Ricciuto, also a pre-season absentee because of ankle surgery, faced the same scenario as Carey.

Ricciuto was included in an Adelaide squad seeking the club's first pre-season title since entering the AFL in 1991.

"Both Mark and Wayne have made dramatic improvements in their recovery from their respective injuries," Reid said.

"After training well on Monday and Wednesday, both players will be strongly considered for selection."

Reid denied the selection of the high profile duo evidenced Adelaide's desire to win the pre-season cup.

"If selected, it will not be about us playing in a grand final, as much as it will be about what is the best preparation for round one (of the premiership season)," Reid said.

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