The top of the table Crows entered the season wanting to add versatility to allow them to rotate more players through the midfield. This has worked a treat. David Mackay has spent time across half-back, Charlie Cameron's pace has been an eye-catching addition through the midfield and on the wing, and defender Rory Laird has had short bursts on the ball.

The Crows are also moving the ball quicker through their backline by hand. Their ratio of kicks to handballs in the defensive half has gone from 1.13:1 in 2016 (sixth in the AFL) to 0.89:1 this year (17th). When the Crows do kick out of defence, they go direct rather than messing around with the short option – 46.4 per cent (second in the League) of their kicks out of their defensive half are long kicks this year compared to 40.5 per cent (13th) in 2016.

The lightning-quick ball movement of the Crows has resulted in their high-powered attack going to another level, even with key forwards Josh Jenkins and Mitch McGovern on the sideline. The Crows are averaging 133.2 points per game this year, up from 112.8 in 2016. Andy Otten has done a great job as a tall forward, while Eddie Betts, Taylor Walker and Tom Lynch are in superb form.