IMPOSING Adelaide forward Riley Thilthorpe says it has taken six months, but he's finally feeling fit enough to recapture his best form.

Thilthorpe had been troubled by a back complaint for much of the season when his output dropped considerably from his breakout 2025 campaign.

After kicking 60 goals in 25 games to earn his first All-Australian blazer, the 200cm forward has booted only 19 majors in 13 matches to this point in 2026.

Thilthorpe conceded he was "touch and go" to play in some games this year, but believes he's now over the worst.

"I just probably didn't have the confidence in my body to go out and do what my mind is telling me I could do," Thilthorpe said on Wednesday.

"So it probably hurt me a little bit, but I have worked through it now and feeling a lot more confident.

"I'm confident in my body and I'm doing nicely. I feel up to a nice back third of the year and hopefully in September.

"A bit of rest, working with the medical staff at the club, and yeah, just a bit to work through like any player - no-one feels 100 per cent, just work through it."

Thilthorpe and his Adelaide teammates flew to Perth on Wednesday, a day ahead of their usual schedule, for a Friday night fixture against West Coast.

The altered travel routine comes after the fifth-placed Crows suffered a shock loss to 15th-placed arch rivals Port Adelaide last Saturday night.

"It's obviously a tough week," Thilthorpe said.

"But it's good we're playing six days later and get to move on pretty quickly."

The 91-gamer rejected suggestions Adelaide was overconfident entering the clash against Port.

"I don't think we were ahead of ourselves," he said.

"Showdowns, no matter where everyone is on the ladder, they're always close games and great games.

"They (Port) just came out hot, put the pressure on ... their big players stood up and played really good games.

"So, I definitely don't think it was complacency or whatever, but definitely a lesson learned."