Banned chief executive Steven Trigg will lift the Adelaide Crows when he returns to work on Monday, coach Brenton Sanderson says.

Trigg’s six-month suspension for AFL draft and salary cap rorting ends on Monday and he’ll resume his job as Adelaide’s chief executive.

“I haven’t seen or spoken to him for six months,” Sanderson told reporters on Wednesday.

“I have been really lucky that Rob Chapman, our chairman, has played that CEO role for six months and he has been awesome for me.

“But it’s going to be great to get our CEO back. He (Trigg) has been in the job for 10, 11 years and done a fantastic job so I’m sure the club is going to get a real lift next week.”

Trigg was suspended by the AFL for his part in Kurt Tippett’s illegal 2009 contract with the Crows.

Tippett returned from an 11-match ban, playing for Sydney, last weekend while Adelaide’s football operations manager Phil Harper served a three-month suspension.

Coach Sanderson has also been without his coaching mentor, Dean Bailey, who remains banned until round 17 for his time as Melbourne coach during their tanking controversy.

Trigg returns to a restructured Adelaide with former premiership player Nigel Smart appointed as chief operating officer.

“There has been a lot of changes already made since Nigel Smart has come on board, we just keep looking to make this club better,” Sanderson said as his 11th-placed Crows prepare for an away trip to the Gold Coast.

“Steven has been away. I know he’s going to hit the ground running on Monday, it will be great to have him back.

“He can’t influence the football team, that is my job. But as a football club, I am sure Steven is going to make a big difference when he gets back.”