ADELAIDE coach Matthew Nicks has revealed young gun Lachlan Sholl is battling low confidence amid the grind of week-to-week AFL.
The 21-year-old dual rising star nominee has been dropped from the Crows' side to face the table-topping Western Bulldogs on Saturday in Ballarat.
Nicks said Sholl needed a break mentally and physically, describing his omission as a "circuit breaker."
"He started the season in outstanding form off the back of an incredible off season. At the moment he's just lacking some confidence in himself," Nicks said.
"He's starting his career and playing through a season becomes quite a grind for a young player.
"He showed at the start of the year the level his game can go to. Maybe our expectation went a lot higher and that's the level we expect at the moment.
"We know he's an elite ball user. (But) there are times where you can't put on a finger on exactly why your form is not where you know it can be.
"He's in that position at the moment. He's doing everything possible to be the best player he can, it's just not quite clicking for him."
Nicks said a wet and windy forecast played a part in team selection and leaving out young forward Riley Thilthorpe who was "ready to go" but listed as an emergency.
James Rowe is an inclusion after booting five goals in a reserves scratch match.
Brimming with confidence after a win over Melbourne, the Bulldogs have included the experienced Josh Dunkley and Easton Wood, who hasn't played since round nine.
Anthony Scott has been elevated into the side, with Alex Keath, Ed Richards and Taylor Duryea the three to miss out.
LADDER PREDICTOR Where will your club finish?
Nicks said there was no clarity on whether his side, which is currently based in Victoria, would be able to return to Adelaide ahead of the Port Adelaide derby slated for the SA capital next round.
"There's nothing locked in place at the moment. There's ... complexity around quarantining, what does that mean for two weeks' time and so on," he said.
"No flights are booked. We'd love to get home but we also understand there's so much still to go through."
