Adelaide have lost 'flu-ridden defender Ben Rutten for Sunday's AFL match against Geelong.

Rutten, a defensive pillar of strength in Adelaide's bleak season, has been replaced by 13-gamer Shaun McKernan.

The absence of Rutten is a major blow for the 13th-placed Crows as they seek an upset home victory over the rampant Cats.

"He has been in bed all week with the 'flu so he won't play," Crows assistant coach Scott Camporeale told reporters on Saturday.

"He had a bit of a trot around in the morning but didn't think it was worth the risk.

"It gives Shauny McKernan an opportunity to come into the side and see what he's got.

"When you lose your fullback who has been there all year and hasn't missed a beat, against potentially a grand final side, it's a big loss.

"But we expect the guys who come in to play at the level and we have got full confidence that Shaun can do that."

The Cats, winners by a combined 336 points in their past two outings, made four changes for their road trip to Adelaide, with Corey Enright, Brad Ottens, Nathan Vardy and Daniel Menzel coming into their side.

The quartet replaced injured fullback Matthew Scarlett (knee), Darren Milburn (achilles), Tom Hawkins (calf), while Trent West was dropped.

Rutten's withdrawal is Adelaide's sole change as the Crows seek a third consecutive win since Mark Bickley was appointed caretaker coach following Neil Craig's resignation.

Camporeale said the triumphs, albeit over lowly Port Adelaide and Brisbane, had lifted the spirits of the Crows players.

"They are really positive, we couldn't be in better form to play against a real good quality opposition," he said.

" ... To say that we're going to take Geelong lightly is an understatement, but our group is really looking forward to the challenge to see how far we have really come in the past two weeks.

"We have played some really good footy, some exciting footy and now we get the opportunity against atop four side.

"The guys are playing with a little bit more freedom and what Bicks has implemented - and what be brings to the footy club and what he stands for, when he was a player and a captain - has certainly been seen on game day."

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