ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson has singled out returning forward Jason Porplyzia as one to watch in 2012.

Porplyzia seriously injured his shoulder in the opening minutes of the Crows' round one match last season and sat out the rest of the year.

However, the highly-talented 26-year-old has returned from an off-season trip to Europe in peak physical condition and caught the eye of new coach Sanderson. 

"I don't like to name names but we did 20 minutes of skills and there was one drill we did where Jason Porplyzia just had time and space, where others don't, you know?" Sanderson told the Adelaide Advertiser.

"He only played five minutes last year but in the 20 minutes I saw - as a coach you start to get a little bit excited - but he did some stuff where if we can get matches into him this year we will be a much better side.

"He's one guy I've always been really impressed with as an outsider."

Porplyzia was earmarked to spend more time in the midfield in 2011 and Sanderson's praise raises hopes he could still add versatility to the Crows' engine room.

Teammate Josh Jenkins, who moved from Essendon in the off-season, said Porplyzia was the ideal role-model as he aimed to make his AFL debut.

"He presents himself in good shape and he certainly looks the part out on the track," Jenkins said.

"He was a guy I spoke about living with before I came across and I did a little bit of background on him and his diet was second-to-none.

"If anyone is going to be able to come back, it's going to be someone who trains as hard as he does."