ADELAIDE midfielder Scott Thompson is expected to line up in the club's season opener against North Melbourne on Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

The two-time club best and fairest missed the Crows' entire NAB Challenge series after injuring his hamstring in early March. 

Coach Phil Walsh considered the veteran a "touch and go" prospect to play in round one but ruckman Sam Jacobs said Thompson had fully recovered.

"He'll be available so I think it'll be up to Walshy and the coaches whether they're comfortable with the work he's done," Jacobs said.

"Thommo's obviously a pretty important player to us. 

"He's played [for] 16 years or whatever it is ... so I think he's got enough pre-seasons under his belt.

"He's obviously a real professional ... if he comes in I've got no doubt he can come in and play his role." 

Jacobs, who has fully recovered from a jarred knee he suffered in January, will again lead Adelaide's ruck department in 2015 – albeit under a new coach in Phil Walsh and new skipper in Taylor Walker.

The playing group has had the summer to adapt to Walsh's leadership and since early January to adapt to Walker's. 

But the ruckman said there were still unknowns as to how the side would handle the changes on game day. 

"You're always nervous but it's probably a different kind of nerves; there's always a bit of the unknown with how we come in with a new coach, a new captain and a new CEO," he said. 

"It's going to be exciting for the club on Sunday."

The Crows played the Kangaroos in their opening NAB Challenge game, on March 1 in Port Lincoln. 

They took a substantial lead into three-quarter time but a six-goal-to-nothing final term from North Melbourne closed the gap to just 10 points by the final siren.

Although recent, Jacobs didn't think the encounter offered much help in preparing for Sunday's game.

"It is hard to take anything away [from that game] just because they obviously tried a few different players and had a look at a few different set-ups," he said.

"They were still once again pretty strong over the ball but you can't ready too much into it."