Crows talls show benefit of summer of sweat Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson. TALLS Sam Jacobs, Tom Lynch and Luke Thompson have been the early beneficiaries of the Crows' summer of sweat. Teammate Josh Jenkins said the trio appeared "noticeably slimmer" as the club's pre-season training focus shifted from strength in 2013 to speed and endurance for 2014. Jenkins, who is on the comeback trail from a broken ankle and will resume full training in the New Year, estimates lead ruckman Jacobs, forward Lynch and defender Thompson has each shed between 3-to-5kg as Adelaide takes its running program to new levels. "Most of the guys have slimmed down a bit but those three are the standouts," said key forward/ruckman Jenkins. Adelaide Crows training at Max Basheer Reserve. Picture: Sam Wundke Source: News Limited They are noticeably slimmer but I think it's fair to say nearly every player has dropped a kilo or two. Our training is certainly different this year and running-wise the boys are in better shape. The Crows have strategically focused on more running than last pre-season in preparation for next year's interchange rotation cap. They also don't believe they were as fit as they should have been earlier this year. "You'll see a much fitter side next year," coach Brenton Sanderson said after making building muscle the focus of his first two pre-seasons in charge at the club. We've learnt from some things we thought we could improve on last season and we're putting the boys through a very rigorous training regime at the moment. They're clicking over about 50 kilometres per week. It's quite intense. The new players are doing about half the load, so 25 kilometres a week. We're certainly getting the miles in the legs and we're going to be fit. Eddie Betts training with his new teammates. Adelaide will continue to pound the track until Friday before having a two-week break over Christmas. Only star key forward Taylor Walker is considered unlikely to be fit for the start of next season as the club sensibly takes a conservative approach with his comeback from a knee reconstruction. Walker, injured in round five against Carlton on April 27, is running freely but is yet to be given the green light to progress to sharp turns. The Crows want to give him a full 12 months to recover. Jenkins and veterans, midfielder Scott Thompson (hip) and Brent Reilly (shoulder), are still on modified programs and won't return to full training until January.