Adelaide is the team many pundits can't quite get a handle on for 2011.

We hear the reports out of Adelaide that this is the best pre-season the Crows have enjoyed in Neil Craig's time as coach, a considerable period that now stretches back to 2005. They are certainly miles ahead when compared to last year when they were cruelled by injuries and started the season with six straight defeats.

The mail is the Crows are fitter, faster and stronger and the evolution from the dour and the defensive mindset that marked Craig's first few seasons to hard-running, attacking football is continuing.

The Crows go well in that department. New skipper Nathan Van Berlo, Chris Knights, David Mackay, Rory Sloane, Bernie Vince, Brodie Martin, Brent Reilly and Richard Douglas can look good when moving the footy. Ruckman Sam Jacobs is a nice inclusion from Carlton.

Patrick Dangerfield and the returning Andy Otten provide the tough, mid-sized defence.

Of course, the Crows would want to be more attacking because they have a potentially great one-two punch up forward that will catch a lot of balls and kick a lot of goals.

Kurt Tippett is a star and the Crows have done well to keep him out of the grasp of his home-town Gold Coast Suns. Taylor Walker is also tracking in a nice direction, although he is reportedly mulling a big offer to return to his native New South Wales to play for the Giants in 2012.

Tippett and Walker, if they get the right service from the midfield, could take the Crows into the finals in 2011, and perhaps quite deep into the finals.

The question mark over Adelaide is how the retirements of Andrew McLeod, Brett Burton, Tyson Edwards and Brett Burton, together with the departure of Nathan Bock to the Suns, will affect the club.

That's a lot of games and so much veteran savvy walking out the door in one summer. Van Berlo is the new skipper and he has massive shoes to fill because the Crows have been blessed with great leadership in the past.

Every year produces a bolter. It was Fremantle in 2010 and we think it will be the Crows this year. They've always been that bit streaky, the Crows, and if they get over Hawthorn on Saturday night - although the injured Tippett is a huge omission - they could get on a roll to start the season. And with just one game against Collingwood, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, there is further cause for optimism.

We think they're good things for sixth place.

The story so far

7. Sydney

8. Fremantle

9. Carlton

10. Essendon

11. Melbourne

12. North Melbourne

13. West Coast

14.Richmond

15. Gold Coast

16. Port Adelaide

17. Brisbane