ADELAIDE speedster David Mackay missed the Crows' successful regular seasons in 2005 and '06, but he's heard teammates talk of the heartache those failed finals campaigns brought.

Crows skipper Nathan van Berlo and Scott Thompson both recently said those finals series still burned and inspired them.

While Mackay wasn't drafted until the end of the 2006 season and wasn't involved in the two preliminary final losses, he said listening to players like van Berlo and Thompson talk about them helped fuel his desire to succeed.

As did the memory of the 2009 semi-final against Collingwood.

Finishing fifth on the ladder that season, Adelaide looked capable of atoning for '05 and '06, before Jack Anthony sunk the Crows' hopes with a last-minute, match-winning goal.

"In 2009 when we played finals we felt like we had a good enough side to really challenge and we got kicked out in the semi-finals when we probably should have gone a bit further," Mackay said.

"That's something that the guys who were involved in that and also '05 and '06, who are in the side today, are going to draw on coming up this year.

"They understand the chances are few and far between to play in finals and you really need to make the most of it."

But it's not just underachievement on the big stage that has Mackay itching for September - injuries have also given him a ferocious appetite.

His rookie season was ruined by hamstring injuries, groin soreness hampered his 2010 season and a severe shoulder problem derailed his 2011.

Mackay said the constant setbacks have actually helped him as a player.

"My training has improved a lot over the last few years when I've had injuries and I suppose you learn different ways to manage your body to make sure you stay out there," he said.

"It's not ideal to go through those times when you're on the sidelines, but I look at it as a way of making myself stronger and better.

"When you do have injuries it makes you hungrier and you don't take it for granted when you're out on the park."

Mackay has been a vital cog in the Adelaide machine this season and has played all but two games, averaging almost 17 possessions a game.

His latest setback was a broken toe that kept him sidelined during the Crows' round 19 win over Essendon, but he showed no signs of complaint when he booted a stunning goal against Fremantle in his return last week.

"It was good to come back into the side and have a bit of an impact ... you've got to be playing well at this time of the year and I certainly knew coming into the game that I had to try and get back on the horse as quickly as possible," the 24-year-old said.

"There's so much pressure around the footy these days that it's pretty rare to do that sort of thing, so I guess I was a little bit lucky the path opened up.

"I was pretty lucky to get a shepherd on the line as well from Scotty Thompson ... it probably wasn't my best kick but it snuck over the line."

Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.