What worked

-The Crows were one of the League's leading clearance and stoppage sides this year. They ranked second for average contested possessions and fifth for clearances, and first for centre clearances.

-As well as dominating the clearances, Adelaide's midfield also gave their forwards plenty of opportunities inside 50 - the Crows were ranked second behind Hawthorn for average attacking entries.

-The forward line emerged as one of the competition's most dangerous. Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins, Charlie Cameron and Tom Lynch all combined to help the Crows rank third for goals per game.

What failed

-Tackling remains a weak point. Adelaide was ranked 16th in the AFL for average tackles this year.

-The club's disposal efficiency needs drastic improvement. It was ranked second last in the competition – more than 5 per cent off the League benchmark Hawthorn.

-Adelaide's outside run lagged behind most of the competition. The Crows were ranked second last for handballs, 16th for team-to-opponent handball differential and 12th for team-to-opponent marks differential.

Overall rating: 8.5/10

The club's performance in the wake of Phil Walsh's death was nothing short of inspirational. The players rose to a new level to secure a finals berth, going on to win an elimination final in a thrilling contest against the Western Bulldogs, before falling to Hawthorn in a semi-final.

What we said in the pre-season

We expected the Crows to narrowly miss out on a finals appearance, so they exceeded expectation there. The club's defence was tipped to struggle and although it actually held up really well, it needs improvement ahead of 2016.

The fans' rating

The coach

Despite entering the role under the most tragic of circumstances, Scott Camporeale was superb as interim senior coach. He helped galvanise the playing group and he delivered a consistent message that the squad was able to follow with ease. He put the best possible foot forward to secure the full-time position.

MVP: Patrick Dangerfield

An incredible season from Dangerfield, who could well claim Adelaide's club champion award and the Brownlow Medal in the next week. Despite the enormous external pressure surrounding his future, the 25-year-old dominated in what was his best season to date. He was ranked second in the League for total contested possessions and third for inside 50s.

Surprise packet: Rory Laird

The small defender was voted the most courageous player at West Lakes and is expected to be named in the All Australian side on Tuesday night. He uses the ball with precision and led the club for effective disposals. His run out of defence was brilliant, but he's versatile enough to play many different roles.

Get excited: Charlie Cameron

Lightning quick and with sublime evasive skills, Cameron found the confidence required to become a leading small forward at the elite level. Cameron hopes to build his fitness over the summer to try and push up onto a wing if required, but with Eddie Betts as his mentor, the 21-year-old looks set to take another leap forward next year.

Disappointment: Brent Reilly

The veteran defender was rushed to hospital in February after a training accident left him with a fractured skull. He underwent emergency surgery and was subsequently told he'd never be able to play contact sport again. It was a devastating blow and an awful way for a 203-game player to bow out.

Best win: Seven-point win over Western Bulldogs, elimination final, MCG.

In a high-scoring shootout at the 'G, Adelaide appeared cooked in the final quarter when the Bulldogs wrestled back the lead and threatened to run away with it. But the Crows rallied and held on for one of their great finals victories.

Low point

The death of Walsh shook the sporting world and left the Adelaide Football Club in complete shock. Many players and coaches still haven't had adequate time to grieve and will do so in the coming months.

The big questions

-Will Patrick Dangerfield stay at West Lakes or join a rival club? And if he leaves, what will the Crows receive in return?

-Who will coach the Crows from next year onwards? Camporeale did an admirable job in the second half of the season and the club is expected to announce a permanent coach in the coming weeks.

-How can Adelaide improve its outside class? They must do so, either through trading players in or improving players' ability to hit targets under pressure at training.

Season in a song

Heroes, by David Bowie

Who's done?

Retirements: Brent Reilly

Reilly is the only confirmed retirement this season after a freak accident at training rendered it too unsafe for him to continue his career. James Podsiadly is also expected to retire, although his form late in the season in the SANFL showed he's still capable of dominating opposition defences at 34 years of age.

Delistings: Sam Siggins, Brodie Martin, Jack Osborn

Although a handy player at his best, Martin isn't in Adelaide's best 25-27 players and after five years at the club, it appears likely he'll be cut from the side's list. Siggins has already returned home to Tasmania for personal reasons and won't return for next season, while giant rookie ruckman Osborn also looks set to cut ties with the Crows.

Trades/free agents: Patrick Dangerfield, Mitch Grigg, Sam Kerridge

The key free agent is obviously Dangerfield, who is surely only a week or two away from announcing whether he'll remain at the club or join a rival – most likely Geelong. Neither Grigg nor Kerridge have indicated a desire to leave the club, but both have failed to cement a senior position and would have value at the trade table.



Sam Kerridge could look for greener pastures after a year spent mostly in the SANFL. Picture: AFL Media









What they need

The Crows have a vast number of inside midfielders, but it's the outside where they'd like to boost their depth. The emergence of Riley Knight and Rory Atkins is pleasing, but the poor form of David Mackay only highlights the need to find outside speed. They also need to add players with elite skills. Adelaide's disposal efficiency has been amongst the lowest in the competition this season and while coaching can help improve the side, natural skill is needed. Defensive and key-position stocks are another area requiring improvement.

Premiership clock: 9.30pm.

A great run home saw the Crows play finals this year, but they're a few key players and probably a few seasons worth of experience away from truly challenging for a flag.



Early call: 6-8th.

Adelaide has to make the final eight again next year to build on 2015, but fans shouldn't expect the side to push much higher than it did.