Adelaide have glimpsed AFL life beyond their All-Australian fullback Ben Rutten - and it is beginning to look a lot like James Sellar.

Unsure of his role and developing body since being drafted from Glenelg in 2006, 19-year-old Sellar has been spotted a handful of times in Crows colours since then but has mainly languished in the SANFL reserves, leaving many to wonder what will become of him.

The Crows' match committee were unsure themselves until a knee injury to Rutten, an ever-present in Adelaide's backline since Neil Craig became senior coach in 2004, opened up a spot for experimentation.

Sellar has since spent time down back against West Coast in Alice Springs and on Saturday spent the whole afternoon lined up against Hawks big man Simon Taylor.

He did more than enough to suggest that with a little time and preparation he could amount to something as a backman, allowing Nathan Bock to be creative further up the ground.

"He was there last week and showed some signs and did so again this week and I was really pleased with him," Craig said of Sellar.

"We know Ben Rutten will be our fullback when he comes back, but once Ben's not there then all of a sudden James Sellar has put his hand up that he would be a legitimate selection in that position.

"He's still learning it, but he's clean, got a good football brain and I was really pleased with what he did."

A move towards the defensive end of the ground, with the odd pinch-hitting spell in the ruck, would also ease a logjam around Adelaide's forward line, where Trent Hentschel, Taylor Walker, Nick Gill, Kurt Tippett, and Scott Stevens are all angling for spots.

Many of Adelaide's supporters have grown impatient of Sellar's time in the shadows, given that in mid-2006 he was spoken about in tones comparable to those reserved for fellow Glenelg draftee and now Carlton talent Bryce Gibbs.

Craig counselled outside observers to remain patient, and insisted that Sellar was not at a career crossroads in 2009.

"We recruited James as a 17-year-old so we just need to be really fair. It's really interesting the draft, just because you are drafted a certain number, all of a sudden you have to bear this huge expectation," he said.

"The last two pre-seasons he's been exceptional and he's better again this year. His body's taking on a different shape, he's maturing as a young player and a young man, he's getting some belief in what he can do."

Adelaide play Sydney on Friday night in their final practice fixture, with Scott Thompson, Michael Doughty, Stevens, Tyson Edwards, Andrew McLeod and skipper Simon Goodwin all to return to the team.

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