Mitch McGovern hasn't played a game of football for 10 weeks, but Adelaide is confident he can have an impact in Saturday night's clash with Brisbane at the Gabba.
It's McGovern's first game since suffering a serious ankle injury in the round eight Showdown loss to Port Adelaide on May 12.
The decision to bring the 23-year-old back into the senior side without a game in the SANFL was made easier with the one-game suspension to skipper Taylor Walker.
"Mitch has done everything we've asked of him of late, especially his last couple of weeks, in regards to his training," Crows assistant coach Ben Hart told reporters at Adelaide Airport on Friday morning.
"Not just the amount of training, but the speed he's got up to, which has been matching AFL games.
"We're really confident he'll come in and have an impact for us."
The Crows have also regained All-Australian key defender Daniel Talia, who has a minor shin fracture.
"We tested him reasonably well and he got through training," Hart said.
"It was more about how he pulled up from it, and he's fine.
"He'll go in expecting to play a full game."
The Crows (8-8) may need to win five of their remaining six games to feature in the finals.
Hart said that scenario wasn't a factor in playing McGovern and Talia against an improving Lions' side on a three-game winning streak.
"We'd never go in with players underdone who couldn't perform, that's the major thing," he said.
"We're confident these guys will
"We go up there to press our claim to show we're good enough to make finals."
Midfielder Cam Ellis-
