In the week of his 100th AFL match, Graham Johncock's Adelaide team-mates will tell you he is destined for selection in this year's AFL All-Australian team.

Johncock deflects such praise with typical modesty, while not complaining about his form this season.

"It's definitely my most consistent year," he said after training at AAMI Stadium on Wednesday. "It also helps when you have got guys down there who are playing in pretty good form as well. It has been fantastic so far."

So do the Crows, who have conceded a miserly 907 points in 14 matches this season, have an All-Australian backline (or close to it with strong contenders such as full-back Ben Rutten, back pockets Nathan Bassett and Johncock and half-back flanker Andrew McLeod)?

"We have some players who are in pretty good form but there are also a lot of other guys playing in pretty good form who also play in those positions," Johncock said. "It's going to pretty interesting but, at the same time, we still have a few games to go to continue our form."

Of reaching the 100-game milestone this Saturday, against Hawthorn at AAMI Stadium, Johncock, 23, said: "It has come up quick. It only seems like yesterday that I played my first (against the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome in the opening round of the 2002 season). The guys I've played with have been pretty good to me.

"I have to thank Ayresy for giving me the opportunity to play and Neil (Craig) coming in now and giving me the confidence. Craigy has put a lot of emphasis on me to have a pretty harder pre-season than previous years and that has definitely helped me."

Johncock also thanked McLeod, with whom he has developed the type of mock rivalry that can exist between close mates.

"He has been fantastic to me," he said. "He helps me out a bit, and I also help him out a little bit as well. We have a little bit of a competition each week just to help the both of us.

"We both try to let each other know when we try to get down and kick a goal. We also let each other know when we do something good or if I'm giving him too much of the footy or he's giving me too much of the footy.

"We speak a lot on the phone during the week, and if I have got any problems I can always give him a call. He's pretty easy to talk to."

And of a future midfield role, Johncock said: "There is always an aspiration to play in the midfield but there are some pretty good guys coming through like Michael Doughty, Scotty Thompson, Brent Reilly always putting the pressure on the older guys.

"There are definitely spots there to be taken but there is also a lot of pressure to keep those spots as well. I have just got to knuckle down a little bit harder and have a bigger pre-season again next year. But at the moment things are going so well down back I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

No Johncock story is complete without a mention of his original club, Mallee Park, a now-famous football breeding ground in the Port Lincoln Football League.

"They have been fantastic to me," he said. "I'm just grateful, to come from a club like that. They gave me everything and if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am now."