WHEN IT comes to Erin Phillips' playing future, the superstar Crow is focusing on one phrase – "why not?"

The champion Crow will be turning 37 this year and was limited last year due to a knee issue that required an arthroscope at the season's end.

"Every season, I've played like it could be my last, just given age and some injuries I've had in the past, but honestly, I feel fantastic," Phillips said.

"A lot of luck has to go into it, getting through a season healthy as well, so I'm just really fortunate that I've had a really solid pre-season and I feel great.

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"If I pull up at the end of this season feeling good, then why not? But there's a lot of games between now and then, so we'll see how we go."

Phillips is taking inspiration from brother-in-law Shaun Burgoyne, who recently retired from Hawthorn at the age of 39 after 407 games.

"I'd like to play as long as I can. Having a brother-in-law Shaun Burgoyne who just retired from a fantastic career, and my dad (Greg) played football, and their advice is play as long as you can.

"I'm just really excited to be in year six and still lacing them up and getting back out there with this team. It's been an amazing ride, and hopefully we can still continue to have the success we've had."

Cross-town rival Port Adelaide is looming on the horizon, set to enter the NAB AFLW competition in 2023, but Phillips said she has not had any contact from the club her father captained.

"I haven't had a conversation with them, no. I know they're really respectful of all the players who are playing this year," she said.

"No doubt they'll be contacting a lot of us South Australian girls to see what our plans are for next season, and if you're Port Adelaide, you'd definitely be poaching Adelaide Crows players.

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"I'm honestly just focusing on this season. We're hoping to make a Grand Final and get back to where we were last season. I'm completely focused on playing with the Adelaide Crows, and after the season, we'll see how we go."

Adelaide will be kicking off its season by reacquainting itself with fierce rival Brisbane at Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga, South Australia.

The pair faced off in the 2021 Grand Final, the second time the flag had been decided by the two teams, with the Lions coming up trumps.

"If there's anyone you want to play in round one, it's the team that beat you in a Grand Final," Phillips said.

"It's a massive race to where we want to be, which is the last game of a season, the Grand Final, and Brisbane are a fantastic team. There's no better team to test yourself and see where you're at.

"It's going to be absolutely on, for sure. It'll be a cracker of a game, and we're really looking forward to playing them again. We've been looking forward to playing them again since April."