After a promising pre-season, Curtly Hampton has a two-week wait to find out whether he’s done enough to secure a spot in the Crows team for Round One.

Hampton, 24, showed more positive signs in Adelaide’s final JLT Community Series game against the Brisbane Lions at Noarlunga on Saturday.

Starting in the midfield, the quick and agile recruit gathered 26 possessions in the win over the Lions, including a team-high 14 contested possessions and eight clearances.

He also had more pressure acts (26) than any other player on the field.

The performance followed a two-goal game against Richmond in the Club’s first JLT Community Series match, and an encouraging display in the narrow win over Geelong.

Adelaide’s season opener is against Hampton’s former club, Greater Western Sydney, on Sunday, March 26.

Hampton, who played 51 games for the Giants before joining the Crows at the end of 2015, said he would continue to work hard regardless of whether he was selected in the AFL side for Round One.

“If I’m lucky enough to get a game it would be unreal – my first official game for the Club against the old boys (at GWS), but we’ll just wait and see,” Hampton said after Saturday’s game.

“I won’t look to far forward. We’ll have the three-day break now, come back and review the game with the coaches and see what happens.”

Hampton’s first pre-season with Adelaide was marred by a foot injury, which eventually required surgery.

He made his long-awaited return in the SANFL in Round 15, and played out the year at State League level.

Keen to add another dimension to the Club’s onball brigade and explore Hampton’s capabilities, coach Don Pyke moved the 187cm, 90kg, utility from defence to the midfield over the summer.

After Saturday’s game, Pyke said he was pleased with Hampton’s progress.

“He’s now had three games in the midfield and he keeps building,” Pyke said.

“As I said during the week, he’s a guy who has done a lot of work over the pre-season.

“And I thought he took another step today.”

There could be a vacancy in the Crows midfield come Round One.

Rory Sloane (fractured eye socket), Brad Crouch (hamstring) and Scott Thompson (shoulder) are all hoping to be available for selection after being sidelined for the entire JLT Community Series.

Pyke said it was “too soon to tell” which of those onballers would be picked to play the Giants, adding that he was also keen to reward players in form.

“We’re getting closer (to a Round One team). We’ve got two weeks and there are a few guys outside (Saturday’s team) that will be putting their hand up,” he said.

“There were some guys today who continued to perform really strongly, which is what you want. You want guys who not only have got a proven record of playing and playing well at AFL (level), but guys who are in good form and guys who have had a good pre-season.

“They come in with confidence and … with a high belief because they’ve done a lot of work.”

Originally from Alice Springs, Hampton played most of his junior footy as a midfielder before being moulded into a running half-back when he was recruited by GWS as a zone selection in 2010.

Hampton said he was adjusting to the demands of playing onball at AFL level.

“You’ve got to be so fit now. The game is played at such a high level that if you’re unfit you’re going to get found out. That’s something I’ve tried to work on over the pre-season,” he said.

“The leaders of the midfield like ‘Sloaney’, Scotty Thompson and also Matty Crouch have been really good for me … and (midfield coach) Scotty Camporeale as well.

“I’ve just been trying to learn the roles of the midfield. ‘Pykey’ has been good enough to give me a crack in there. I was really happy to get the opportunity to play with some of the leaders of the Club.

“I’ve just tried to do the best I can, and play my role in the three games. I feel like I’ve made a few gains and I’ll just keep working from here.”

The Crows closed their pre-season campaign with two wins against Geelong and the Brisbane Lions, and also a loss to Richmond.

Adelaide’s revered attacking game was on show at Noarlunga, with Josh Jenkins (four), Mitch McGovern (four), Taylor Walker (three), Eddie Betts (three) and Richard Douglas (two) all kicking multiple goals to set-up a 39-point win.

However, the Crows also conceded in excess of 100 points and Hampton said his team would look to tidy up that area ahead of the season proper.

“It was a really high-scoring game,” he said.

“We’d ideally like to not let Brisbane score as much as they did and that was the main message. We play our best footy when our defence is up to that really high standard. That’s something we’ll really review during the week.”