ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke believes the Crows have enough improvement left in them to contend for the club's elusive third premiership next season.

The Crows won 16 games last year but were knocked out of the flag race at the semi-final stage for the second season in a row.

Leading into his second campaign at the helm, Pyke is confident his squad is capable of pushing for Adelaide's first premiership since the back-to-back triumph of 1998.

"I don’t think we are trying to leap a huge chasm to get to that point," Pyke told News Corporation.

"We are at the stage where there are just a few areas that we need to keep getting better at.

"I will go into next season wanting our team to get better and where that leads us, it will be a cliche, but for me the reality is we understand that through the back end of this year, including the Sydney final, there were some areas where it was shown that we need to improve.

"My commitment to the players and the players' commitment to each other is to continue to get better, and if we do that, as we did last season when it still wasn't good enough to get us to where we want to go, then eventually that (flag) opportunity will come.

"We just have to keep banging on the door to give ourselves that opportunity."

The Crows boast a forward line brimming with firepower, but at times lacked drive through the midfield and subsequently launched a failed attempt to secure Carlton star Bryce Gibbs during the NAB AFL Trade Period.

But Pyke is confident that building greater flexibility into his squad and a renewed focus on contested ball – areas the Western Bulldogs excelled at on their way to a stunning premiership – can give Adelaide an edge.

"The contest is always one of those things that dictate your ability to win your share (of the ball) and is never more highlighted than in finals when you generally get two really good teams fighting for the big prize," he said.

"The numbers reflect we were probably just a bit off those sides who went deep into the finals.

"It’s natural that you look at sides that performed well in the finals, to see what's working for them, and for me it's just giving that bit of extra flexibility we need as a side.

"Last season we developed a pretty good back six-to-eight guys who played some regular footy together (in defence), which was good, and our forward line's been well recognised as being a really potent group.

"But we want to make sure we've got changeability to keep freshness through the midfield.

"It's all a part of being a really well balanced team, a team that is strong in all areas."