It is part of the solution to the player list problem facing the Crows – if they remain in 12th place their first pick at the national draft on November 21 will be No. 43 unless they can trade.

General manager of football operations Phil Harper concedes Adelaide will need to offer someone who is very good to be able to trade, and a possibility is Rory Sloane, 23, as widely canvassed by Brownlow medallist Mark Ricciuto.

With midfielders Patrick Dangerfield and Brad Crouch, key defender Daniel Talia and ruckman Sam Jacobs deemed "untouchable", Sloane appears the only genuine midfield bait that may appease Greater Western Sydney, which is set to snare the No. 1 pick. The ultimate target would be exciting Victorian 199-centimetre key forward Tom Boyd.

Hartigan, 22, a highly capable 194-centimetre defender picked up from Werribee, has been outstanding in the SANFL and has earned the chance to replace the suspended Shaun McKernan.

Grigg, a classy midfielder, has easily been the best in the SANFL for Norwood over the past month, and is ready for AFL selection. He deserves his opportunity, but in the bigger picture his selection may also be partly about seeing if he really is a likely type to replace Sloane should Sloane be traded.

Adelaide, of course, holds Sloane in the highest regard, but there is really not much other bait in the tackle box to lure the No. 1 pick from GWS.

Harper said Adelaide was having fortnightly list-management meetings.

"If we want to trade in to the front end of the draft then we will have to give up something to get something," he said. "If there are people that other teams want then I am sure Nobes [club list manager David Noble] will listen to them.

"We have already been trying players, and we are looking at another three or four this season."

Significantly, Adelaide has used 32 players this season, and only North Melbourne (30) has used fewer.