ADELAIDE forward Nick Gill said he was hoping to cement a more permanent spot in the Crows line-up after finishing his first game for 2008 against Brisbane on Saturday night.

Dogged by hamstring and calf problems to start the season, Gill had nine possessions, six marks and a goal in his return at the Gabba.

He played seven matches in his first season with the club last year, but following the injury woes has made his way back to the top flight with four weeks in the SANFL.

Gill was mainly used in a forward role and showed good hands on occasions and snapped a clever goal in the second quarter.

Despite being glad to be back, the 25-year-old said there was plenty to work on.

"There's some positives and some negatives," he said of his return.

"I think my defensive pressure probably wasn't as good as last year, but I was presenting and providing an option up there, which was OK.

"I've got a bit of work to do on that explosiveness and trying to get back to the way I was feeling last year.

"It took a sec to adjust to the pace, but having been in it before you know what you've got to look. You know it's going to be that fast, so it wasn't too much of an adjustment."

Gill said the early stages of the year had been a frustration, particularly having to do the rehabilitation while matches were being played.

"I'm very keen to stay in the side and hoping I'll get another chance to put my hand up and show them I can stay in the side and provide an option," he said.

"It's good to get back on to the challenge. No-one in the AFL is an easy side, but it's good to come back in against a really tough side like Brisbane in Brisbane and having another crack in a couple of weeks against Geelong.

"Maybe there'll be a role they see for me which is a set sort of thing and we can have a more settled forward line, but I'm not too sure."

Gill said the Lions ability to work hard and flood the Crows' forward line had made things difficult for the men up front.

"I thought we could have got up on them, but they proved they're a very competitive outfit."