If contested possessions and clearances are the "engine" of Adelaide's game, as midfielder David Mackay says, then car Crow may be in need of more than a grease and oil change.

Adelaide rank second last among AFL clubs for contested possessions in 2009, with only Hawthorn behind them, and equal 13th with the Hawks for clearances.

It is this, more than any other stat or notion, that explains three consecutive losses and the likelihood of more defeats in coming weeks - the Crows are simply not doing the things they build their game on.

Since senior coach Neil Craig took charge in 2004, the Crows have been beaten at times for class but rarely for competitiveness.

This year, as the club has moved more aggressively into the introduction of a new generation of players, that edge has been missing when required, most recently in horrid third quarters against the Bulldogs and Lions.

Why is something of a mystery, for Mackay said there was no less emphasis on contested ball and stoppage work now than at any other time in his three years at West Lakes.

"From the first day you set foot in the club that's your No.1 focus and responsibility, to be able to win contested ball," he said.

"As a midfield group that's part of our trademark, that's what we want to be known for, so it's not something that has just come about in the last couple of weeks, it's something we're always trying to work on and really be the best we can be at it.

"It's something we don't ignore and we don't back away from, whenever we have an area that's letting us down we address it and we try to improve it."

A loss to Brisbane dropped Adelaide to 3-5 for the year, with difficult home matches against Carlton and Hawthorn to come over the next two weeks.

Despite tough circumstances Mackay recited the Craig creed for staying competitive while developing the list.

"We're trying to make the finals and that's always going to be our goal," he said.

"We're not a club that really likes to bottom out and say `we might lose a few games but we're just getting young players' experience', we're going to try to win as many games as we can and be super-competitive.

"We've got high expectations and we're going to keep it that way because we think that's the best way for our players to improve."

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