Ivan Maric Biography

Adelaide coach Neil Craig has made a public apology to ruckman Ivan Maric for berating him at three-quarter time last week in an outburst that was captured on camera.

"I felt I owed Ivan, the rest of our playing group and probably our supporters an apology," Craig said.

"I was embarrassed by it as a coach. That's not the way I want to go about my business and is not part of my trademark as a coach.

"I've made a significant error with the way I want to conduct my business as a coach.

"If I was Ivan, I would've been embarrassed as a player and I don't want to be a coach that embarrasses players publicly."

Nathan Van Berlo has joined coach Neil Craig in encouraging both Ivan Maric and Brad Moran to step up and stake a claim on the ruck position at the Crows.

"Over the last couple of weeks we've seen them developing in their around the ground work and also in their physicality," van Berlo said.

"I've noticed a change in attitude from both of them over the past month. Not that it was necessarily required, but I've seen them look to take their games to a new level and stand up because they realise that we need them."

Adelaide captain Simon Goodwin will miss another week with his troublesome knee injury.

Ruckman Ivan Maric said it was disappointing not to have the captain available for Saturday night's clash with Richmond on the Gold Coast.

"Wherever Goody plays - forward, back or midfield - you know he's going to do a job and in the last quarter when it's crunch time, you'd put him in the middle every day of the week," Maric said.

Adelaide has lost Brad Moran to injury but fellow ruckman Ivan Maric says he's happy to shoulder more responsibility in his absence and that either Shaun McKernan or James Sellar would be capable replacements for Moran.

"I played against Shaun in the SANFL earlier this year and he's really aggressive and fierce around the ball, which is what midfielders want from a ruckman, especially at the centre square," he said.

"James' centre bounce is pretty good as well, but he's got other strengths like being able to go up forward and kick goals too."

Adelaide's Kurt Tippett hopes he is able to stay forward this Sunday against Port Adelaide with young ruckmen James Sellar and Ivan Maric manning the rucks.

"I'm happy playing wherever Craigy needs me to play, but I've been enjoying my time up forward," Tippett said.

"James Sellar and Ivan have been playing some good football in the ruck, so I think we'll go with them again this week."