Taylor Walker will add valuable experience to a young Adelaide forward line when he returns for his first game of the season this weekend.

Crows assistant coach Nathan van Berlo on Wednesday confirmed the former captain and Club’s all-time leading goal kicker would take on Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

“He’s obviously our most experienced forward and brings a lot to our forward group,” van Berlo said.

“Understanding he’s missed a fair bit of footy, but the way he’s trained and his experience will help compliment our mix we hope.

“It was discussed at match committee level and in the end we decided Tex would play this week and it helps with our experience ahead of the ball and across the entire group.

“We’ll back him in not having any match fitness to date, but he’s been in the system a long time now and we will back in that experience to help him. We may manage him to an extent on the weekend but we’re looking forward to having him back ahead of the ball for us.”

Making way for Walker will be Darcy Fogarty who van Berlo said would continue working on his game at SANFL level.

“He’s been playing some important roles for us and doing some important things ahead of the ball, but Lachy Gollant and Elliott Himmelberg’s form last weekend was at a higher level in certain areas so he’s (Fogarty) the one to miss out this weekend, he will be really clear on what he goes back and works on and I’m sure he’ll be back at senior level sooner rather than later,” van Berlo said.

“That competition for spots with Elliott and Lachy playing the roles they did last weekend is what we’re searching for, and it was great to see Riley Thilthorpe play a really solid game in the SANFL as well so it’s a good position for our forwards to be heading into.

“We’ve been consistent with our messaging all along that we are still working towards our best mix and backing in guys at AFL level, so to their credit on the weekend Elliott and Lachy were able to take their opportunities and put forward the form we’ve seen at training and the belief we have in them.”

The Crows held their main training session for the week at West Lakes on Wednesday which saw captain Rory Sloane move a step closer to returning from an adductor injury.

“Sloaney got through training today, we haven’t fully discussed where things are at and how he’s pulled up but he got through training well so we will have a discussion. But if the skipper is available the skipper plays so we’ll have that chat later today about the rest of the side and what his role looks like,” van Berlo said.

Andrew McPherson has also recovered from a hamstring injury and is set to return to footy this weekend.