Melbourne are hopeful star defender Jake Lever will play against old team Adelaide in Darwin after 12 months on the sidelines recovering from a knee reconstruction.

Lever escaped without significant damage when he rolled an ankle in his second VFL game back from the injury and coach Simon Goodwin said a solid week on the training track would be enough for him to play against the Crows.

“We’ll see how he progresses but he’s ready to play AFL footy if he gets through … we’re really hopeful that he’s going to be right to be right to play,” Goodwin told reporters on Wednesday.