Besieged Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has received support from an unlikely source, with Adelaide mentor Neil Craig applauding the Dockers' decision to turn to youth.

Harvey is under the pump following the Dockers' winless start to the AFL season, with supporters and the media alike already predicting a year of doom and gloom.

But ahead of Sunday's clash between Adelaide and Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, where Greg Broughton will become the third Docker to debut this season, Craig said Harvey's youth policy would yield long-term benefits and urged fans of the club to be patient.

"I think they've made a really courageous decision to bring a lot of youth into their football club," Craig said on Saturday.

"What I do know about youth is you get enthusiasm, a whole range of new skills coming into your club and they are very coachable.

"So if the form of Fremantle hasn't been that good I'd say to their supporters ... you need to be patient with what Mark's trying to do.

"I'm sure he'll hold his nerve.

"I don't have to back Mark, I'm just saying that Mark in that position I think has made a very clear decision that he knows exactly what he's doing, so if I was a Dockers supporter I'd be saying 'this is what they are doing so let's get on board'."

Adelaide have also been put under the spotlight this week after Nathan Bock was arrested and charged with assaulting his girlfriend.

"He made a poor choice ... I'm not interested in him paying the price, I'm interested in Nathan just thinking that decision through and putting some things in place so it doesn't happen again," Craig said.

Adelaide flew all three emergencies over to Perth after defender Ben Rutten complained of hamstring soreness following Thursday's main session and Kurt Tippett copped a knock to the head.

But Craig said he expected the pair to play, along with Scott Stevens, who returns after a one-week layoff due to a hamstring injury.

Nick Gill and Brad Symes join Stevens as inclusions into the Crows line-up after forward Trent Hentschel (knee), midfielder Chris Knights (fractured eye socket) and All-Australian defender Bock (club suspension) couldn't be considered from the side that lost to St Kilda last week.

Fremantle made three changes to the team that succumbed to Essendon, with Daniel Gilmore, Clayton Hinkley and Broughton replacing Paul Duffield (omitted), Scott Thornton (omitted) and Andrew Browne (shoulder).

Adelaide club officials confirmed Nathan van Berlo was stung while swimming in the ocean on Saturday but the midfielder trained strongly just hours later and is a certain starter against the Dockers.

The temperature is expected to reach 33C in Perth on Sunday but Craig said the heat would not be used as an excuse.

"It will be the same for both teams and we'd be very disappointed if at the end of the game we said the heat got us," he said.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP