Adelaide Coach Don Pyke has revealed the primary motivation for selecting star trio Andy Otten, David Mackay and Richard Douglas was to help build experience for 2019.

Speaking after a win that simultaneously ended any hope of Port making the finals and put the Crows upcoming draft stock in jeapardy, Pyke explained that there was no point playing the youth at this point of the season.

“We’re focused fully on 2019. We know that to perform at our best we need guys with experience, so I can’t see any reason to play the guys with no experience.”

“Andy Otten will probably retire this year, that’s experience that you can’t buy.”

The Crows head in to their final game of the year against an undermanned Carlton outfit.

“As we’ve seen with the Blues, the youth get you no where. I expect Sam Gibson to get selected next week.”

More to come.