Adelaide could regain a host of key forwards headlined by veteran Taylor Walker for this weekend’s game against GWS.

Walker has not played since being subbed out of the Round 13 loss to Hawthorn at the MCG with a back injury, but has trained strongly in the past week.

“Tex has got through everything we’ve asked him to do, he had a few minor issues last week, but late last week and in Monday’s session he did really well with a lot of contact, groundballs and everything we’d want him to do in a game,” High Performance Manager Darren Burgess said.

“Certainly the longer break helped Tex, I’m not sure he would have played last weekend, but the way he was moving on Monday he did everything we asked.”

Fellow forward Riley Thilthorpe is also trending towards a return from a knee injury which has sidelined him since pre-season.

“Riley has done really well and got through all the objective markers we’ve asked over the last three or four weeks,” Burgess said.

“He’s been fully training with the team and I’m sure he’ll play at some level this weekend, assuming he gets through training tomorrow.

“Just a final team training session to get through but I’m sure he will get through and be fine.”

Elliott Himmelberg has recovered from surgery on a fractured cheekbone he suffered against Collingwood in Round 11.

“Fortunately Elliott has been able to run and jump and mark and do everything non-contact for the last few weeks, we just had to get the surgeon’s final approval which has come so he will be available to play this weekend,” Burgess said.

Defender Brodie Smith is also set to play after hurting his knee in his last outing at SANFL level.

“Smithers hasn’t missed a beat, he’s trained and did a full session on the weekend and Monday so he will be OK,” Burgess said.

INJURY LIST:

(As of Tuesday, June 25)

Taylor Walker (back) test

Riley Thilthorpe (knee) test

Josh Worrell (arm) 4-6 weeks

Matt Crouch (shoulder) season

Wayne Milera (knee) season

Patrick Parnell (shoulder) season