ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke has put his high-powered forwards on notice – they could be the next casualty of the selection axe if their form doesn't improve.

Having already dumped experienced midfielder Bryce Gibbs for Saturday night's crucial encounter with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, Pyke put his misfiring attack – including co-captain Taylor Walker, three-time All-Australian Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and Tom Lynch – in the gun as the Crows aim to avoid a 1-3 start to the season.

"We've got some guys, who, I think it's been acknowledged, are not in their best form," Pyke said.

"It's always a challenge at match committee to go, at what point do you support those guys, back those guys in to return to form. We've got to look at some of our guys ahead of the ball, in our forward line; they're not playing as well as we know they're capable of.

"There's an opportunity for them, but I'm confident they'll respond."

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Betts, Jenkins, Lynch (three goals apiece) and Walker (two) have combined for just 11 goals in the opening three rounds.

The Crows' leading goal-kicker this season is midfielder Brad Crouch, with four.

"In any organisation, you're in a position whereby performance holds you in the team," Pyke said.

"Whether it's the guys you're mentioning (Walker, Jenkins, Lynch, Betts) or the guys in the midfield or wherever else, we need to make sure we're consistently performing to a high standard.

"That's as simple as any team, that's how it functions."

Gibbs, 30, was dropped for the first time since joining the Crows on a four-year deal in a trade from Carlton at the end of 2017.

He finished fourth in the Crows' best and fairest last year and has averaged 22 disposals per game this season, but has been replaced by big-bodied midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen.

Pyke refused to disclose what Gibbs needed to work on in the SANFL to regain his spot in the side.

"I'm not going to go into the detail, it's between Bryce and match committee and myself," Pyke said.

"There's some things in his game he needs to work on.

"We know he's a quality player and we want him in our best 22, but he's got some things he just has to tidy up.

"When he does that, I expect he'll push for selection really soon.

"Whether that's one week or longer, I don't know. We'll see how he performs."

Pyke expects lead ruckman Sam Jacobs to return from a knee injury for the round five game with Gold Coast on Easter Sunday.

"He was probably two or three days short," Pyke said.

"Unfortunately for Sam, he got out there on Wednesday and started doing some of his warm-up stuff, struggled with the change of direction stuff.

"We're confident he'll be right for the following week."

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