Brodie Smith leads Adelaide out ahead of the R23 clash against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on August 20, 2022. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

ADELAIDE'S three-year rebuild is over with finals now firmly on the agenda, stalwart Brodie Smith says.

Smith says confidence is building at Adelaide after a pre-season campaign featuring consecutive victories over Fremantle and West Coast.

"We're expecting to win games now, we're not hoping to win games," Smith told reporters on Wednesday.

Matthew Nicks and Jordan Dawson look on during Adelaide's official team photo day on March 7, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

"So finals is definitely something we want to achieve.

"We want to achieve that every year. But we feel like we have put enough work together now, we have had the rebuild of the last few years and it's our time to start winning games of footy now.

"We're only going into round one but we are definitely confident going into the season that we can shake it up.

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"As a group we are playing to win by design and if we get the details right, getting our gameplan right, then we are going into every game expecting to win - that is the shift for us this year."

The Crows haven't made the finals since their 2017 Grand Final loss and embarked on a list rebuild when Matthew Nicks took over as coach in 2020.

"There's no doubt it has been a tough few years performance-wise for the club," Smith said.

Richard Douglas and Kyle Hartigan after the 2017 Grand Final between Adelaide and Richmond. Picture: AFL Photos

"So it is nice now that we know we have been putting this gameplan together and people are starting to see it now.

"It's only practice games but if we can take this form into round one and into the season then hopefully we can surprise a few and be right in it."

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Adelaide's premiership season opens on March 18 with an away game against Greater Western Sydney.

"At the start of every pre-season you go through your trademark and what the group wants to stand for," Smith said.

Luke Pedlar celebrates a goal with Izak Rankine during the match simulation between Adelaide and Fremantle on February 24, 2023. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

"And it's something as a leadership group we were really strong on this year ... the confidence we have built in our gameplan now, why can't we play finals footy?

"It's something we're striving for. We have got focus on the process, the boring answer, of round one, round two, round three and so on, but as a group it's something we want to achieve."