A veteran of 208 games and a mainstay in Adelaide’s defence, Graham Johncock says he’s not immune to the selection pressure at West Lakes this season.

Johncock followed up a career-best year in 2010 with an equal-third place finish in the Crows’ Club Champion award last season.

The attacking defender earned a two-year contract extension as a result, but at age 29 is entering the twilight of his career and says both he and veteran Michael Doughty are feeling the heat from the next generation of backmen including Matt Jaensch and Brodie Martin, who are in exceptional form in the local league.

“The pressure is definitely on from the guys in the SANFL, who are playing really well,” Johncock told afc.com.au.

“It doesn’t get any easier as you get older, but you just have to keep plugging along and try to impress to, hopefully, stay in the side.”

Johncock set the tone with his attack on the contest in Adelaide’s 18-point win over the Western Bulldogs at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

The creative back-pocket floored Bulldogs forward Jarrad Grant with a textbook bump in the second quarter and wrapped up second-gamer Clay Smith in a ferocious tackle in the Dogs’ attacking 50m.

It was desperate acts similar to these that got the Crows back into the match in the fourth quarter.

After leading by 25 points at half-time, an inaccurate Adelaide went goalless in the third term, relinquishing the lead in the early stages of the final quarter.

Through sheer determination, the home team wrestled back control of the game halfway through the last quarter, with a goal to Jason Porplyzia and another two to Taylor Walker ensuring coach Brenton Sanderson’s perfect record remained intact.

It wasn’t pretty, but the final-quarter fight back was significant given the Crows had been forced to activate their substitute, Tom Lynch, in the first quarter after midfielder Richard Douglas injured his hamstring.

“It was a great win by the boys,” Johncock said.

“It was a hard-fought game and we always knew it would be tough. The Bulldogs dropped players behind the ball, which made it hard for our forwards, but to the boys’ credit we stuck at it.

“In the third quarter, we were challenged. They came back hard at us and it was disappointing that we couldn’t respond during the quarter, but at three-quarter time, we rallied and we were happy to get away with the win.”

The win was just reward for reigning best and fairest winner Scott Thompson, who collected 34 disposals and five clearances to star in his 200^th AFL game.”

 “He just keeps getting better and better the old fella,” Johncock said of Thompson.

“It goes to show what a fantastic player he is because he was great tonight.

“He’s been playing for the Club for a long time now and congratulations to him in his 200^th game.”