Forward Josh Jenkins hopes to recapture confidence and consistency in the SANFL before returning to the senior team.

Jenkins played his first SANFL game in over four years in Saturday’s clash with West Adelaide at City Mazda Stadium.

The 28-year-old missed three matches with a rib injury early in the season and was down on his usual impact in Adelaide’s losses to North Melbourne and Melbourne.

“I’ve had a really disjointed season,” Jenkins said on the Monday Wash-up live on Adelaide’s official Facebook page.

“I thought I played the pre-season games and Round One really well and felt like I was up and going, and then had that injury which slowed me down probably more than I anticipated.”

Jenkins overcame a slow start against the Bloods to finish with seven marks and a match-high four goals.

But it was his effort without the ball that was as much of a focus leading into the match.

Jenkins laid four tackles and exploited his size and strength in the ruck to earn 12 hit-outs.

“I thought it was a pretty well-rounded game,” Jenkins said.

“Four goals is a good return, but I was able to lay some tackles and ruck quite well. It was a really slow start, like the team, and then I worked into it.

“I just needed to go back to the SANFL and play with some speed and get my multiple efforts and work rate up.”

It was also an opportunity for Jenkins to play alongside several of Adelaide’s young and developing key-position players.

The SANFL Crows boast a tall line-up featuring SANFL co-captain Alex Keath, ruckmen Reilly O’Brien and Paul Hunter, first-year forward Elliott Himmelberg and 2016 Crows SANFL leading goalkicker Harry Dear, who was moved into defence against West Adelaide.

“It was a new experience,” Jenkins said.

“I think we had five tall forwards in the forward line, so we were a little bit imbalanced as a team, but it was great fun to get out there and play with some guys I haven’t played with before.

“Elliott showed some real promise. He takes some good marks, reads the ball quite well and he’s got good skills for a big guy.

“Harry went to full-back on the weekend and I thought he did quite well. He competed in the air and followed up well.

“A lot of the young guys, particular the taller guys, are starting to show some promise.”