ADELAIDE has lost emerging ruck-forward Riley Thilthorpe to a knee injury and doubt lingers over Taylor Walker for the clash against the Western Bulldogs.

Thilthorpe will miss Adelaide's trip to Ballarat to face the Dogs on Saturday after being hurt early in the first quarter of last weekend's win over St Kilda.

Walker is being managed at mid-week training amid concern at the workload of the 33-year-old, coach Matthew Nicks says.

"We will see how he goes a little bit later in the week but at this point we're reasonably confident," Nicks told reporters on Wednesday.

"We both will sit down and talk it through.

"We had plans coming into the season but the plans are always adjusted slightly depending on where the group is at."

Walker's absence would force a major rejig in attack with fellow tall forward Thilthorpe out for at least one game.

The 20-year-old played out the match against the Saints but has reported soreness, despite being cleared by scans of any structural damage in his knee.

"That is more precautionary than anything," Nicks said.

"He received that knock in the first quarter and did incredibly well to push through for us right through last week's game.

"We were concerned post-game but had some scans done and no structural damage and that is a positive out of it.

"But we won't take any risk - we wouldn't with any player but especially with a player like Riley and what he has gone through.

"He's an important part of a team that is playing really strong footy at the moment, he has been a big part of that."

Nicks said he would recall Nick Murray, who missed the St Kilda game due to concussion, to replace his backline teammate Tom Doedee, who was concussed last week.

"Murray is obviously ready to come back and he was performing extremely well before going out," Nicks said.

"We would have been looking to bring him back in and then with Tom now unavailable, we will make that swap."