But Crows coach Matthew Nicks is calling for tempered expectations on the 18-year-old key forward, selected at No.2 in last year's draft.

"It's a really exciting time for our footy club," Nicks said.

"It's going to be a challenge for him, he's a young key position player.

"But we think he's ready to step up and have a crack at the higher level.

"It's about tempering expectation because it's not all on Riley how he performs.

"There's delivery, there's how we perform in the midfield, are we getting the job done across the ground... does that give him opportunities.

"So we're really mindful of what the expectation is we put on a young kid.

"He's a high draft pick and he's a talented footballer but there's a lot more that goes into his performance on the weekend."

Nicks described the 200cm-tall Thilthorpe as already being an "ultimate professional".

"From a training point of view, you don't get many better," he said.

"Riley, we talk about being a pro, well he is that and some.

"Sometimes we have to pull him back with the amount of load that he's trying to put through his young body.

"Super-competitive ... so we know he will bring that side of the game.

"And then obviously it's a huge step up so from an expectation point of view ... it's going to come with some challenges, he is going to come up against some really strong opposition."

Thilthorpe's inclusion puts the selection squeeze on fellow tall forward Billy Frampton, who kicked two goals in round one but hasn't scored a major in four games since.

Nicks was yet to settle his team for the clash against the Hawks in Launceston though first-year midfielder Sam Berry appears unlikely to recover from an ankle injury.

Linkman Tom Lynch is also in doubt with the stalwart unable to train properly in recent weeks because of toe injury.

However, Nicks cleared ex-captain Taylor Walker to play after the Coleman Medal leader suffered a low-grade calf injury in last Sunday's 12-point loss to Fremantle.

Australian Associated Press