TAYLOR Walker is still at least a few weeks away from playing AFL football but Adelaide midfielder Scott Thompson is thrilled at the likely return of forward Tom Lynch this weekend against Greater Western Sydney.
Speculation has mounted over the past 24 hours that Walker could line up in the SANFL as early as Adelaide's ANZAC Day clash against Glenelg, but the 23-year-old still requires clearance from his surgeon for that to happen.
Even if the scenario did eventuate, Walker would likely require another SANFL showing before playing his first match at the top level since injuring his knee in round five last year.
There is less mystery surrounding the return date for Lynch, however, after a superb 31-possession outing for the Crows' SANFL side last weekend against Sturt.
Lynch dislocated his shoulder against the Giants on March 7, keeping him from the first four rounds of the AFL season but he is expected to boost Adelaide's attack against the same side on Sunday.
"The way he reads the game is really good, his running patterns make him really hard to match up on," Thompson said.
"He's an outlet player for us … when we're going forward with our ball movement so he does help us out with those key areas and he's just this type of bloke who gets everyone up and about.
"He's great to have in the side."
Although unable to clarify Walker's exact return date, Thompson confirmed what all who have watched the superstar train over the past month already knew: he appears good to go.
"He's training really well, I know they're flogging him at the moment really trying to get the miles into the legs, doing a heap of change of direction-type stuff to really test the knee out," Thompson said.
"He looks in really good nick and I'm not going to say when he's going to play because I don't really know – when he's right, he'll play."
In what will be his 250th game of AFL football, Thompson insisted there was no way the Giants would be taken lightly at Adelaide Oval.
The competition's newest franchise has taken significant strides in its development this season, winning two of its four games.
Thompson, who has been crowned club champion twice (2011, 2012) since crossing from Melbourne at the end of 2004, said the Giants would quickly become a powerhouse.
"We had a good look at them towards the end of the pre-season and they've got a lot of talented kids in their side, there's no doubt in the coming years they're going to be one of the forces of the AFL," he said.
"Some big key forwards, talent in the midfield and some young talent down back which they've added to with some experience in (Josh) Hunt and (Heath) Shaw this year.
"It's going to be a good challenge for us, they've won the two games as I said, one of the them being Sydney who I still think is a really good side.
"We're going to have to be at our best again and put four quarters together if we're to win."
