Adelaide forward Ian Perrie is fronting up for his ninth season in the AFL, needing to play just six more matches to reach the 100-game milestone.

He concedes it has been 'a long journey' to become only the 28th player to make 100 regular-season appearances for the Crows.

But it is indicative of the respect 'The Sarge' has earned from all of his peers that few centuries will have been celebrated with more genuine acclaim and admiration at AAMI Stadium.

Speak to Adelaide's players and officials about Perrie and their responses are swift and enthusiastic: "Tries his heart out … never gives in … a great bloke and a gutsy player who has got the most out of his ability."

Barring injury, tall left-footer Perrie will play his 100th match in round six (Rivalry Round) against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night, May 6 - four weeks after his 27th birthday.

"It's been a long journey - sometimes a bit disappointing to know I've been around for so long and played so few games," he said.

"But it's the quality I'm interested in and hopefully I can finish off my career on a good, consistent note, playing some good footy."

There was nothing wrong with Perrie's quality and consistency last season for he was one of only five players - with Nathan Bassett, Tyson Edwards, Andrew McLeod and Ben Rutten - to appear in all 25 of Adelaide's regular-season matches, and he led the club's handball count (146) and was its second-highest goalkicker (39, after Scott Welsh's 58).

He crowned his best AFL season by polling 134 votes to finish seventh in Adelaide's club-champion award, behind Simon Goodwin (195), Bassett (169), Rutten (166), McLeod (164), Edwards (155) and Mark Ricciuto (148).

Perrie's re-signing with the Crows last year ended speculation he would return home to Perth.

"I'm pretty happy with the group of blokes down here and the culture we're developing," he said. "It's very good and they're a great bunch of blokes. Everyone's really down to earth and wants to get on with playing good footy, so it's a good environment to be in.

"There are always different reasons why people leave. Some people leave for family, some people leave for money and some people just leave because they need a change of environment.

"I didn't really need to change my environment as there's been a fair change of environment here over the last couple of years. It's been a very exciting period to be down at the footy club."

Forecasting a change to Adelaide's style of game this year, Perrie said: "It's very different but you'll have to wait until the home-and-away games.

"We're working on the forward line. We've had a lot of criticism of our forward line and the way we bring the ball in and how we don't make the most of our opportunities in the forward line, so we're definitely working on capitalising on our opportunities. We're trying to work on a few structures that are going to help that."

Perrie does not expect to be used much as a pinch-hitting ruckman in attack to ease the load on Matthew Clarke and Rhett Biglands.

"I haven't been really earmarked for that sort of stuff," he said. "We've got some really good young blokes coming in - Ivan Maric, who has had a fantastic pre-season, and Johnny Meesen, who's coming along really well.

"They're putting a lot of weight on and have been working on their ruck techniques, so they're going to be players of the future for this footy club."