Midfielder Brad Crouch is set to return from injury in Adelaide’s SANFL season opener on Sunday.
Crouch, who injured his hamstring at training earlier this year, is yet to play a game in 2017.
General Manager of High Performance Matt Hass expected the 23-year-old to line up against Sturt at Unley, and said untried defender Tom Doedee (knee) was also nearing a comeback.
“Brad will be available in the SANFL this weekend and Tom Doedee will be about a week or two behind him, returning from a patella tendon (injury),” Hass said.
“So, it’s really good news for those guys.”
Forward Josh Jenkins will face a fitness test in the lead up to Showdown XLII on Saturday night.
Jenkins sustained bruised ribs in a collision early in Adelaide’s win over Hawthorn at the MCG on the weekend.
“Josh is quite sore, but thankfully (has been) cleared of any structural or internal damage,” Hass said.
“He’ll train later in the week. We’ll fitness test him and assess his availability for the Port match.”
Two-time Club Champion Scott Thompson will also need to prove his fitness after suffering a corked adductor in Adelaide’s SANFL trial against Norwood on Friday night.
“Scott received a heavy knee to the groin. He’s fairly sore early this week,” Hass said.
“We’ll need to fitness test him and assess him for his availability in Round One of the SANFL.”
Defender Kyle Cheney is progressing well in his rehabilitation from a hamstring strain.
However, SANFL co-captain Alex Keath, who is also nursing a hamstring injury, is set for a longer stint on the sidelines.
“Kyle’s due to return to the main group late next week and is about two weeks away from returning to football,” Hass said.
“Unfortunately for Alex Keath, his injury is a little bit more severe. He’s probably 4-6 weeks away from returning to the SANFL.”
Wingman Paul Seedsman is undergoing a thorough rehabilitation program as he recovers from nagging groin soreness.
Seedsman told the Monday Wash-Up Live on Facebook he was focused on ensuring the injury didn’t reoccur.
“It’s tracking slowly, but each week we’re getting closer and closer to a return,” Seedsman said.
“I’ve had a couple of little hiccups along the way, but I’m really focused on strengthening the area and making sure it (the soreness) doesn’t come back again in six weeks.
“It’s been a bit slower than what we wanted, but we’re being really thorough.”
Midfielder Cam Ellis-Yolmen is a month into his recovery from a knee reconstruction, while draftee Ben Davis is recuperating from surgery to repair a foot stress fracture.
Injury list as of Tuesday, April 4
Brad Crouch (hamstring) – Available
Josh Jenkins (ribs) – Test
Scott Thompson (corked adductor) – Test
Tom Doedee (knee) – 1 week
Kyle Cheney (hamstring) – 2 weeks
Alex Keath (hamstring) – 4 -6 weeks
Paul Seedsman (groin) – TBC
Ben Davis (foot) – Indefinite
Cam Ellis-Yolmen (knee) – Season
