Adelaide Crows onballer Richard Douglas aims to step up to elite level in 2014 Crows onballer Richard Douglas leading the way at preseason training. CROWS midfielder Richard Douglas is confident he can improve on a career-best 2013 season by lifting his possession count to an elite level. Douglas was exceptional in Adelaide's midfield last year, averaging career highs in a host of categories including disposals, clearances and tackles. Poised to move past Robert Shirley (151), Ken McGregor (152) and Rod Jameson (153) in to 16th position on the Crows' games played list this season, Douglas said there was still room for improvement in his game. "Just staying involved in contests," said the 136-game player of what he is working on this preseason. You see a lot of the best players, when they get a possession they're able to get a chain of two or three. In the past I've got one possession and then exited the contest too quickly. It's better to stay involved and try and build the possession count up. Douglas averaged 22.7 disposals last season to be ranked 55th in the AFL behind joint leaders Dane Swan and Gary Ablett (31.2). While several of his teammates have focused on dropping a kilogram or two to cover the ground better in 2014, Douglas has built up his leg strength. "I'm probably a little bit fitter, a bit stronger and a bit smarter as well," he said. I was lucky last year to be injury-free, play some good footy early in the year and was able to hold that for most of the season. It gave me a lot of confidence going into the preseason. Douglas' selfless attitude saw him voted Adelaide's best team man last season. His willingness to work hard both ways was regularly highlighted by coach Brenton Sanderson and Douglas - along with fellow elite two-way runner Rory Sloane - has been imparting his knowledge to the club's younger players. "It's obviously workrate and wanting to do it - that's a part of it," he said. And I think the second part is reading the play. If the ball is coming down one wing and you're on the other side you can read the game, (see) it's going to go in their forward line and roll around and help out the defence. You've got to be fit enough and you've got to want to do it as well. Me and Sloaney have worked with a lot of young guys and tried to educate them on that but it's a bit of experience and it takes a bit of time for them to know they can do it.