ADELAIDE forward Trent Hentschel believes the club has turned its biggest weakness into a genuine strength ahead of the 2009 finals series.

Not since the days of high-flying forward Tony Modra have the Crows boasted a forward line capable of striking fear into opposition teams.

But last weekend’s even contribution and season-high score of 27.14 (176) prompted Adelaide legend Mark Ricciuto to declare the current forward structure the best in the club’s 19-year history.

Hentschel is part of a goalkicking combination that also boasts Kurt Tippett, Jason Porplyzia, Brett Burton, Chris Knights and Patrick Dangerfield.

He said the multi-faceted attack made it difficult for rival clubs to stop.

“It’s a pretty versatile forward line. In the past, people have said it was a weakness of ours not having a gun forward up there, but we’ve turned that into a strength,” Hentschel said.

“The structure looks good at the moment, but we can’t just expect things to happen…we’ve still got to go out there and perform on the day.”

Tippett, 22, has blossomed as a key forward in just his second full year of AFL.

The 201cm Queenslander has more than doubled his scoreboard return of 17 goals last year to sit second in the club’s goalkicking behind Porplyzia with 47.

If Tippett manages just three more goals during the finals he and Porplyzia (52 goals) will become the first Crows’ pair to kick 50-plus goals in the same year.

Coach Neil Craig described the greater midfield depth, quicker ball movement and more potent forward line as the biggest improvements in his side’s game this season.

"That needs to be recognised in comparison to other finals we have come into," Craig said.

"[We] will be tested but coming into this final series - with the type of personnel we have [in attack] and the way they are playing together and our ball movement and the scores we have been able to kick - it has been an improvement in comparison to previous years.”