A groin specialist will determine if Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas makes a surprise return to AFL ranks this weekend.

Douglas was hospitalised after copping a blow to the groin in the Crows’ last preseason game, against Greater Western Sydney on March 7.

The club champion had surgery days later to stop persistent bleeding in the groin.

Adelaide initially forecast Douglas would miss at least a month of the premiership season, but the onballer is pressing to return against Port Adelaide on Saturday.

“He’s pretty keen but he’s just got to see late in the week, the last call is going to come from the specialist,” Adelaide captain Nathan van Berlo told reporters on Monday.

Adelaide forward Lewis Johnston has avoided sanction after being reported for a head-high hit on Geelong’s Steve Johnson in the Crows’ season-opening loss last Thursday night.

Johnston is free to front against Port in the first AFL match to be played at a redeveloped Adelaide Oval.

Port accounted for Carlton in their premiership opener a fortnight ago – a goal down at three quarter-time, the Power kicked seven goals in the final term for a 33-point victory.

But Port captain Travis Boak has warned his teammates against expecting to over-run sides again.

“We have got a great amount of confidence in our running ability but we can’t afford to have a four or five-goal differential at three quarter-time,” Boak told reporters on Monday.

“We need to make sure we start well this weekend. It’s going to be hot early but we have got to come out firing.”

Port won’t be able to summon midfielder Andrew Moore for Saturday’s game – he missed the season-opener with a shoulder injury.

Moore was on the road to recovery but then sprained an AC joint in the shoulder at training last week and now was expected to miss another two matches.