Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is expecting Sam Darcy to be treated like all other forwards as concerns emerge about how the towering tall is being defended.
Former Adelaide captain Rory Sloane raised the alarm on fears around players "tunnelling" Darcy in an attempt to make up for the height they are lacking against him.
Beveridge stressed he was not pleading for a crackdown on defenders, but just wants the 21-year-old to be rewarded sufficiently.
"Because he's so long and he jumps ... some guys who are that tall don't necessarily get off the ground," Beveridge said of Darcy on Friday.
"When someone pushes him, that lower side of his centre of gravity means he tilts, whereas someone who is not as tall, you're probably getting him in the back.
"Whether it's in the behind or because of how tall he is, either way it's probably still in the back, isn't it?
"We're just expecting him to be treated like other players.
"What's happening is he gets pushed and he gets the undercarriage and it looks like a tunnel where I don't think anyone's intending to do that to him.
"It's just that's what happens with the mechanics.
"So he's pretty courageous, Sammy."
Darcy will loom large in the Bulldogs' blockbuster clash with Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
The sixth-placed Bulldogs are yet to beat a team currently above them on the ladder this season.
It is the first of two massive games in six days, followed by a trip to Brisbane next Friday night for a match against the reigning premiers.
The match looms as a shootout, with the Bulldogs ranked first for attack this season, while the Crows are third.
After a slow start to the year, Aaron Naughton has found form to make for a lethal key forward duo with Darcy.
But Adelaide have their own weapons up forward led by Taylor Walker, Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty.
Crafty forward Josh Rachele will miss with the knee injury, but Adelaide still boast Ben Keays and Izak Rankine as smaller attacking threats.
"The combination of Rankine, Keays and Rachele, they've been just the three musketeers. They have just been outstanding," Beveridge said.
"They lose Rachele this week, but Ben keys, we've got a great deal of respect for him as a as a player.
"Seems like a ripping young man.
"Their key forwards, they don't miss very often.
