So says coach Neil Craig, who today outlined why it would not surprise him if the club kept on playing finals over the next few years, at a time when the profile of their list would suggest the Crows should be looking for generous draft picks in the lower regions of the league ladder.

Most pundits had tipped the Crows to miss the top eight, but instead they spent the last round of the regular season fighting for a top four spot, only missing out when St Kilda blew past Essendon to win fourth spot on percentage.

"Does it surprise me? No it doesn't because we have a high expectation, just as we will next year, and we'll continue to have that," Craig said.

"It's important to have that psychology, because if you don't it spills over to everyone in your football club and it gives people too many outs, and then it becomes hard to assess people, whether that be players, management, coaches, room staff.

"That's why we'll continue down that path certainly while I sit in this chair."

The Crows' approach has earned them league-wide admiration for their competitiveness and fight, a common compliment that becomes somewhat backhanded by the inference that Adelaide are a club of honest triers rather than match winners.

Craig does not mind if the popular view of the club was as condescending as it was admiring.

"Yeah, of course we do (want to be more then competitive), but it's a pretty important foundation to have - and it always gives you a chance," Craig said.

"If that's the perception of our club, we're very, very proud of that - a lot of football clubs would like to have that compliment.

"I think our supporters expect that of us, and I think that's one of the reasons we have such a big supporter base, because hopefully they do get value for their money year after year."