Pyke’s AFL ladder-leaders host Geelong tonight at Adelaide Oval in a keenly-anticipated top-of-the-table showdown.

Adelaide haven’t beaten the Cats in their past five meetings, prompting the hoodoo talk, which Pyke doesn’t care for.

“For me, it’s not as much the challenge, it’s more the opportunity,” he told reporters yesterday.

“There’s some key components in our game which we need to continue to do better that we haven’t done well enough against Geelong in the past.

“There’s some things we can do differently and there’s some things we need to adapt to that perhaps (Geelong) do that has caused us problems in the past.”

But Pyke said his pre-game plotting would only take his side so far against the Cats.

“It’s a bit about the plan but it’s also a bit about the execution,” he said.

“And that is one of the challenges you face every game… I have always said it’s important our style is adaptable.

“But you keep learning and you keep evolving.

“That has been the pleasing thing over the last three or four weeks… our group has taken a nice little step forward in terms of some of areas we need to keep getting better at.

“And that is why (Geelong) is exciting for us. It gives us that next opportunity to test ourselves against a good opposition.”

Doubt remains over whether Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield will overcome a foot injury and play against his former club.

But the Crows have cleared Dangerfield’s close mate, Rory Sloane, to play despite being concussed last weekend.

And Adelaide’s Alex Keath, a former state cricketer, will make his AFL debut as a replacement for injured backman Jake Lever (hamstring).

-AAP