Adelaide did not finish second on the AFL ladder by mistake. Here are some important key performance indicators that highlight what makes the Crows tick.

Stoppage dominance

The Crows are an excellent stoppage side, ranking high in most KPI categories, including:

No. 1 for first possession with eight more per game than their opponents
No. 1 for clearances with seven more per game
No. 1 for goals from stoppages allowed with four per game
No. 2 for goals from stoppages scored with seven per game
No. 2 for centre bounce clearances and scoring percentage from centre bounces (behind Hawthorn)

Strong starters

Adelaide have been a very good first quarter team in 2012, averaging nine more points than their opponents in the first term.

Efficiency

Once the Crows get it inside 50, they’ve scored a goal 30 per cent of the time. That statistic didn’t help them against Sydney in last Saturday’s Qualifying Final when they had 59 entries, 22 more than the Swans, but could only manage five goals in a 29-point loss.

Ground Balls

No.1 for winning the ground ball with 10 more per game than their opponents.

Stopping goals

Adelaide are strong at stopping goals from general play, conceding just five per game. However, they do allow six goals per game from marks, which is a high number.