Will Crows make it through the wildcard round? (AAP: Matt Turner)
The weight of expectation can be a relentless burden.
For a success starved fanbase it can fuel volatility and in a two-team town it's a pressure cooker.
On the eve of finals, the Adelaide Crows find themselves walking a wildcard tightrope.
If the Lions, Hawks, Demons or Cats fail to lose their final round match-ups, which they are heavily favoured to win, the Crows would have to face Carlton or the Western Bulldogs in a sudden death showdown that 12 months ago didn't even exist.
Since the AFL expanded to 18 sides, a 15-win season guaranteed you a Top 6 finish in 11 of the 13 full length seasons and only twice locked in an away elimination final.
Now even if Adelaide beats GWS on Saturday night, it could still face the precarious possibility of being both the first minor premier in the AFL to exit in straight sets and the first ever side to lose a wildcard final.
It's a situation that will only amplify an emotional fanbase that is losing faith in its game plan and direction; often questioning selection and coaching online after results.
Adelaide's success starved fanbase make their opinions known. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)
Adelaide Head of Football Adam Kelly addressed their behaviour a month ago on SA Grandstand stating their performances were being exaggerated.
"Our game certainly stacks up. We've had some terrific wins and some disappointing losses but there are very few teams who don't have that," he said.
Some pundits, including 4x Showdown Medallist Josh Francou, feel anything less than a preliminary final appearance would be a failed season.
"Based on last year and the list they've got, if I'm an Adelaide supporter and I'm not playing in a preliminary final that's a fail to me. You can't win a premiership from a wildcard," he said.
"I still have a lot of question marks over Adelaide. I can't work out what's happening off field with selection and they're the number one pressure team but when sides apply pressure to them they can't handle it."
With a cohesive and suffocating defence, the Adelaide Crows have the tools to put the ghosts of 2017 behind them and reach the top of the AFL mountain.