ADELAIDE skipper Taylor Walker is a chance to return for the round 13 clash with Hawthorn, but vice-captain Rory Sloane will come back after the Crows' mid-season bye.

Walker has undergone a solid block of training after having glute and back soreness, while Sloane hasn't played since round four with a foot injury and a minor strain of the Lisfranc ligament in his ankle.

"Tex is a chance (for the Hawthorn game), that's just really a decision on us when we think and the feedback from him the program he's been undertaking," Crows coach Don Pyke said.

"Watching him train last Thursday, he's running around pretty well.

"He did another session on the weekend, another session on Monday, so he's tracking really well and we're really confident on Tex.

"Rory's probably more likely post-bye at this point, that's more based upon the feedback we're getting from a combination of our doctors and the surgeons who reviewed him, to make sure that's completely healed before we really expose it to maximal change of direction and hard push and drive, which is where he had the problem.

"He's probably more likely after the bye."

Forward Tom Lynch (side strain) is unlikely for Sunday's clash with Fremantle at Optus Stadium, while All-Australian defender Rory Laird (hand) and veteran midfielder Richard Douglas (eye) are also in doubt.

Reigning club champion Matt Crouch – the last man standing in the Crows' four-man leadership group - will captain the club if Lynch is ruled out.

The 23-year-old will be supported experienced teammates Daniel Talia, Douglas, Eddie Betts and Sam Jacobs.

"Those guys understand they have a responsibility to assist him if that was the case," Pyke said.

"We put Matt in the leadership group to develop his leadership, and here is an opportunity for him to do that.

"Sometimes with younger players, they don't step forward until they're presented with an opportunity.

"So, if that's the way it pans out, it will be good for Matty."

While the Crows have a lengthy injury list, they could still regain half-back flanker Brodie Smith near the end of the season.

Smith is close to returning to full training – nine months after tearing the ACL in his knee in the qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney.

"He's flying," Pyke said.

"There's the actual recovery from the ACL itself, and then there's the need to get some match fitness, but he's nearly in full training with us now, which is great news."

Apart from choosing who gets on the plane to face the Dockers, the other big choice for Pyke is what to wear for the Fight MND Big Freeze slide involving all 18 AFL coaches at the Queen's Birthday game at the MCG next Monday.

"It's in progress, I'm getting ideas at the moment from a whole range of people," Pyke said.

"I lost my father to MND, so it's something pretty close to my heart.

"When it was floated we all get on board, it was easy for me to say yes."