Riley Thilthorpe and Taylor Walker during the Round 14 match between Hawthorn and Adelaide at UTAS Stadium, June 13. Picture: AFL Photos

ADELAIDE duo Riley Thilthorpe and Callum Ah Chee will make comebacks from injury in the high-stakes clash against Hawthorn in Launceston on Thursday night.

But the Crows' all-time leading goalkicker Taylor Walker, despite being fit again after a hamstring injury, will return in the state league.

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Walker had been sidelined since straining a hamstring three weeks ago.

"He is all about what's best for the squad," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said of the 36-year-old veteran.

"'Tex' playing at SANFL is him getting a game of football, otherwise we start to stretch out to five or six weeks (without playing), so it's him having a hitout.

Taylor Walker in action during Adelaide's clash against Fremantle in round four, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

"We can train match simulation, but it's not the same, it doesn't have the same pressures, the unknown."

All Australian forward Thilthorpe missed Adelaide's win over North Melbourne last weekend because of a back injury.

Nicks acknowledged there was some risk with his return for the clash against the Hawks at UTAS Stadium.

"There's always the risk with every player," he said.

"We're backing him in - and we had good conversations throughout the week, even leading into last week, on why we made the decision not to play.

Riley Thilthorpe during the round nine match between Adelaide and Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on May 10, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

"He has done a hell of a lot of work to get himself back physically and they're confident he's going to come across and play well."

Prized recruit Ah Chee, a dual premiership player at Brisbane before joining the Crows at the end of last season, hasn't played in the AFL since March 20 when he tore a hamstring.

Forward Luke Pedlar (knee) and utility Isaac Cumming (hamstring) will miss the trip to Tasmania.

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"'Peds' unfortunately is just a little sore ... he put nine (consecutive) games together, which is the most he's done for us; been rock-solid through this first half of the year," Nicks said.

"Could we have pushed the envelope? Maybe. But we're not going to risk that.

"And similar with Isaac Cumming, he won't play either, and that's just a five-day break (between games) with some awareness in the hamstring - it's just not worth the risk."