ST KILDA midfielder Luke Ball is confident his injured hamstring won't stop him playing a role in the club's last home-and-away game and is planning for a finals campaign.

"I'm coming along pretty well," he said yesterday. "I've started running and I'm still aiming to be back for round 22 against Essendon."

Ball, 24, admits he's frustrated watching from the sidelines as the Saints mount a charge towards September action, but said his three-week recovery was on track.

The courageous All-Australian appeared to hyperextend his left leg in a heavy collision against Port Adelaide, but fears that he had torn the hamstring off the bone were quickly put to rest.

"It looked pretty spectacular, but in the end it was a regulation hamstring (strain)," he said.

"It usually takes three weeks to get over, so while it looked a bit different I was probably lucky it wasn't worse (and) I've had great support from the physios at the club."

Ball said a home-town tribute for retiring veteran midfielder Robert Harvey before Sunday's game against Adelaide at Telstra Dome was fitting, but the players shouldn't need extra motivation to win.

"He (Harvey) announced his retirement two weeks ago and we came out against Collingwood and didn't play very well, so I don't think we'll be relying on that to get us going.

"All the motivation we need is the fact it will probably get us a finals berth if we get the points.

"They (the Crows) are a very even team, they've got big strong bodies, they're very strong in the midfield and with forwards (Brett) Burton and (Jason) Porplyzia out they've still kicked lots of goals.

"They're well coached and very disciplined, so it's going to be a tough assignment for us."

Battered Adelaide forward Jason Porplyzia is expected to return to active duty against St Kilda this week — provided he received a clear bill of health from a neuro-surgeon last night.

With AAP