Conventional wisdom says 2008 is not meant to be Adelaide's year.

They don't have an experienced ruckman, their midfield is too callow and their best players are all on the wrong side of 30.

Yet six rounds into the AFL season the Crows find themselves nestled nicely in fourth spot on the ladder and with a quintet of eminently winnable games to come.

On Saturday night Adelaide face North Melbourne at home, followed after the Dream Team break by fixtures against Melbourne, West Coast, Essendon and Richmond.

Provided Neil Craig's team can maintain their focus and fitness, they should be heavily entrenched in the upper regions of the top eight by the time the season's midpoint brings a more difficult draw.

Young midfielder Chris Knights, who showed encouraging touch on Saturday against Carlton in his first game back from a thigh injury, said the team were no better placed than their lofty expectations demanded.

Knights also confirmed the progress being made each week by the now youthful core of the side, saying there had been a considerable lift since his last appearance in the pre-season cup final.

"We're not surprised, we always set high expectations at the Adelaide footy club, so we expect good performances and we want to continue to build and win," he said.

"Definitely seeing development from the young guys, they are really starting to make their mark in the team through the midfield.

"But development also through players like Goody (captain Simon Goodwin) being able to change their game and adapt and play up forward provides a massive improvement for the team."

When questioned directly on how Adelaide might set up their season over the next month or so, Knights shied away from any hint of disregarding a future opponent, lowly or otherwise.

"We do look in blocks but moreso we look week by week, the team we've got the next week in front of us," he said.

"You can't get ahead of yourself, you can't just say because those teams aren't performing they way they'd like to doesn't mean they can't turn around and improve and doesn't give us the right to say they're in the bag."

The Crows have a handful of players approaching their peak after injury, including tall utility Brad Moran (broken finger), centreman Brent Reilly (broken wrist) and lead-up forward Nick Gill (hamstring).

None will be ready to play against the Kangaroos, but all would appear likely to figure in the weeks that follow.

Brad Symes (ankle) and Ben Rutten (corked buttock) are on course to recover from knocks in time for Saturday.

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