ADELAIDE has won its first game since the tragic passing of coach Phil Walsh, surviving an epic Port Adelaide fightback to win Showdown XXXIX by three points in front of an AFL-record Adelaide Oval crowd of 54,468 on Sunday afternoon.
Robbie Gray drew the Power to within a kick with just over a minute remaining, with the Power booting the final four goals of the game after trailing by 36 points in the second quarter.
Crows midfielder Scott Thompson was phenomenal, collecting 36 possessions, 13 clearances and kicking a goal to take home the specially re-named Phillip Walsh Medal as best on ground – presented by Walsh's daughter Quinn.
Benefitting from Sam Jacob's superb tap work (51 hit-outs), the likes of Thompson, Richard Douglas (26 disposals) and Patrick Dangerfield (27 disposals) won the clearance battle, while skipper Taylor Walker kicked three goals and set up another three in attack.
Patrick Ryder (15 possessions, three goals) played his best game for the Power, booting three goals, while captain Travis Boak (32 disposals, two goals) was sensational and Chad Wingard (23, three goals) did his best to lift the side.
After the Crows' SANFL side won by 101 points on Saturday, the club's interim senior coach Scott Camporeale said it had been a memorable weekend.
"It's been a great weekend for our footy club and our supporters," he said.
"This win means a lot to the playing group in terms of being able to move forward and get something out of the rest of the year."
Despite Port having opportunities to win the game, coach Ken Hinkley said victory wouldn't have been fair.
He believed the result reflected the match.
"They were too strong and too clean in tight for us today," Hinkley said.
"I don't feel like we should have won the game, I feel like we would have used the word 'pinched' … I would have been happy to take the pinch [though]."
Boak and Walker shook hands before leading their sides through a joint banner, which bore the message "get the job done" – an instruction often delivered by Walsh.
The Crows wasted no time heeding Walsh's words - Josh Jenkins slotted a 49m set shot from the boundary, setting the tone for a six-goal opening term.
They controlled possession early and its pressure on the ball carrier was intense.
Port desperately needed to steady but Adelaide was just too deadly in attack - right before Charlie Cameron added a 10th goal the Crows had converted 57 per cent of their inside 50s.
Not everything was going Adelaide's way though, as Daniel Talia was subbed out with concussion after he was caught in a pack split by Ryder – who kept his side in the running with another two goals.
Jay Schulz added a third and then a fourth consecutive Power goal just after half-time – but just as the tide looked like it was turning the Crows again stood up.
Jacobs was dominating in the ruck, setting up his midfielders.
Josh Jenkins, Walker, Tom Lynch and then a trademark Eddie Betts check side pushed the lead back out to six goals – only for the Power to retain momentum.
The Power rallied again as Wingard lifted and again after the Crows hit back.
The final minutes were as tense as football gets as Wingard, then Matthew Lobbe, then Boak and then Gray pulled the margin back to just three points.
But that's where it would remain, the final siren signalling the Crows' return to the top eight.
PORT ADELAIDE 3.4 8.4 13.6 17.11 (113)
ADELAIDE 6.1 11.3 18.6 18.8 (116)
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Ryder 3, Wingard 3, Gray 3, Schulz 3, Lobbe 2, Boak 2, Monfries
Adelaide: Jenkins 3, Walker 3, Cameron 2, Lynch 2, Crouch, Henderson, Martin, Douglas, Knight, Betts, Wright, Thompson
BEST
Port Adelaide: Boak, Wingard, Ryder, Gray, Broadbent, Hartlett
Adelaide: Thompson, Jacobs, Douglas, Walker, Dangerfield, Crouch, Laird, Henderson
INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Nil
Adelaide: Daniel Talia (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
Port Adelaide: Aaron Young replaced Brendon Ah Chee in the third quarter
Adelaide: Rory Atkins replaced Daniel Talia (concussion) in the second quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Deboy, Schmitt, Ryan
Official crowd: 54,468 at Adelaide Oval
