Axed Adelaide club champion Bernie Vince isn't the fall guy for three consecutive AFL losses, Crows coach Neil Craig says.

Vince was dumped for Adelaide's home game against St Kilda on Saturday night, along with utility Andy Otten.

Otten will visit a specialist next week after suffering an injury to his left knee which required a reconstruction in late 2009.

Craig was hopeful Otten's fresh injury was just bone bruising, but said Vince, the 2009 club champion, was omitted purely on form.

"Bernie gets judged a bit more harshly than a ... three- or four-game player," Craig said on Friday.

"But in discussion with Bernie, certainly his last three weeks haven't been at a level that he would certainly want and what we want as well.

"The key thing here, we're not talking about three Brownlow medal votes every week - the level we talk about with Bernie is a fair and reasonable level to achieve and he hasn't been able to do that.

"So in the end I have a responsibility to make a decision rather than continue on with it."

Craig acknowledged other Crows players could be considered fortunate to survive after three consecutive defeats.

"There is probably debate from outside about `why not this player or that player'," Craig said.

"Well, I have made the decision that his performances are not up to scratch with what we expect, not just on a one-off but a block of time.

"I certainly don't want selection for our players to think every week is cut-throat, if you have a bad week you're out of the side, it's not that at all.

"But when it starts to become a trend, I have a responsibility to address it."

Craig recalled key defender Phil Davis, who missed the past two matches with a shoulder injury, and rookie-listed midfielder Matt Wright.

The Saints were unable to consider Justin Koschitzke due to an ankle injury and dropped ruckman Rhys Stanley, while summoning veteran Jason Blake and Will Johnson, who will make his AFL debut.

Despite St Kilda's sluggish form, Craig was under no illusions as to the challenge they would provide.

"They will grind you, if you went back and looked at games against St Kilda, they tend to be that kind of game because they are very strong defensively and strong bodied," he said.

"I don't think tomorrow night's game is going to be any different, it's not going to be a free flowing, open game."

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