Crows confident on return of experienced trio

Adelaide's coach is confident a key trio of experienced players will return from injury when hosting Fremantle in a high-stakes Good Friday fixture.

Captain Jordan Dawson (calf), Adelaide's all-time leading goalkicker Taylor Walker (managed) and triple club champion Rory Laird (calf) all missed the Crows' eight-point away loss to Geelong.

Coach Matthew Nicks says while all have to prove their fitness at training, they're tracking to host the Dockers at Adelaide Oval.

"We hope so. We're confident," Nicks told reporters on Tuesday.

"I don't want to over-promise on that one and don't deliver.

"Both of them (Dawson and Walker) were really close last week, and they have done everything they possibly can. Laird is in the same boat."

While Walker was listed as managed, Nicks said the 35-year-old was carrying an unspecified injury but "nothing major, nothing that we're overly concerned about".

And skipper Dawson's past history with calf troubles prompted his scratching from the trip to Geelong.

"There's a little bit of soreness through a calf," Nicks said.

"And Daws has had a history of (injuries to) calves. It was too much of a push for us to risk another."

The Crows (1-2) will be without Jordon Butts against the Dockers (2-1) with the key backman entering concussion protocols.

Butts suffered a head knock against the Cats but remained on-field before reporting delayed symptoms days later.

Nicks noted much critical "opinion" about the handling of Butts, but supported his club's medicos.

"I back the experts and we have got some of the best experts in AFL footy," he said.

"Unfortunately for Jordon it was a few days later that he starts to feel no good.

"The moment we have that conversation with him, there is no risk taken."

AFL chief Andrew Dillon also said the league had no issue with Adelaide's following of protocols.

"Any time that anyone gets concussion, we've got a concern, because the health and safety of our players is number one," Dillon told reporters in Adelaide.

"But what I do know is that we've got the best medicos and they look after the players - and the players' health and safety is at the forefront.

"Now that Jordon has been diagnosed, he's going to in the protocols, and he'll be looked after."