Adelaide has used its first closed training session since 2006 to work on 'ball movement' rather than plotting its biggest Round 12 mission – stopping the dangerous Lance Franklin.

Crows skipper Simon Goodwin said the session had been programmed in 'for awhile' and had nothing to do with playing Franklin, or top side Hawthorn, at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.

Instead, the Wednesday lock-in was used to 'tinker' with the team's style heading into the second half of the season.

"We've had closed sessions in the past and other clubs have them all the time but we just thought it was appropriate now. We've got a really important 11 weeks to go, we just want to make sure we get our ball movement right and do it behind closed doors," he said.

"There will be some things we do over the next 11 weeks that are slightly different."

One of the obvious keys to the upcoming contest is controlling Franklin – the hard-running forward has kicked 13 goals in Hawthorn's past two games against Adelaide.

Goodwin said he thought Franklin was the most dangerous player in the competition but wouldn't give too much away on how the Crows would stop him.

"We haven't even looked at it yet, we'll look at that later in the week. At this stage we are really backing our midfield in to win the contested footy, to limit his supply and we will back our defenders in," he said

"He's a forward who is kicking plenty of goals and when you've got those sorts of guys in the competition they are really hard to stop."

"He's going to be a big name in footy for a long period of time so we are looking forward to playing against him."

The Round 12 clash is a big game for the Crows, who've only beaten one top-eight side during their 8-3 start to the season.

But Goodwin, following along the same lines as team-mate Bernie Vince on Tuesday, has downplayed the importance of the contest.

"At the end of the day it's one game. We've got 11 hard games coming up so although it's exciting that we are playing the top side on our home ground, and we want to perform well, it's not doom or gloom if it doesn't go our way," he said.

The one thing the Crows did reveal about their private training was Jonathon Griffin had got through the session. Griffin missed the team's victory over Richmond last weekend with a sore hip.

He'll be an important player if Adelaide's plans to control the midfield are to come to fruition. But there was some doubt whether the ruckman will be ready.

"He's coming back after one week out, whether that's enough I'm not sure, but he trained well and he'll be up for selection," Goodwin said.