Adelaide coach Neil Craig says curbing Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich is, in theory, simple - he just needs 18 players to do it.

Pavlich will break Fremantle's games record against the Crows in Adelaide on Saturday, surpassing Shane Parker's 238 game mark.

The Dockers skipper looms large in the fixture, with Craig believing his side has the flexibility to counter the versatile Pavlich.

But the Crows mentor said only a full team effort would quell Pavlich's influence.

"He has had some outstanding games against us, but he's also had some games where we have been pretty good against him," Craig said on Friday.

"And the ones where we've been pretty good, we as a team have been good defensively, not just our back six, so I'm sure that will be the case tomorrow.

"We need to pressure the ball carrier so they just can't ping it to Pavlich."

The Crows were forced by injury into making four changes for the AAMI Stadium encounter - Michael Doughty (thigh), Jason Porplyzia (shoulder), David Mackay (Shoulder) and Rory Sloane (fractured jaw) all sidelined following their round one win against Hawthorn.

Adelaide, which last week had a bye, summoned Brad Symes, Brodie Martin, Matthew Jaensch and spearhead Kurt Tippett, who will play his first match since injuring an ankle over a month ago.

"Kurt is going to be a question mark because he hasn't played for four or five weeks so he'll be a bit rusty," Craig said.

"But I really liked what he did during the week, he didn't just try and get through training, he was very aggressive in attacking training.

" ... He's had a power of physical work so he's in very good physical condition.

"He hasn't been able to run and do the football specific stuff, so there is going to be an element there which is not going to be up to total standard, but that will come pretty quickly.

"He has got such a competitive attitude that he'll will himself into the game in some fashion."

The Dockers, with one win and a loss to start their season, recalled Jayden Pitt and omitted Jay van Berlo for the clash against a Crows side captained by his brother Nathan.

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