Adelaide skipper, Mark Riccuto, led from the front for the Crows, booting four goals and setting the tone early in the game, when he crashed through Lance Whitnall and sent the Blues centre half forward sprawling on the turf.
Optus Oval was reduced to a swamp as persistent rain lashed the ground throughout the afternoon, but it was the Crows who adjusted best, establishing an early lead and then thwarting a late comeback by the Blues to hang on to a nine-point victory.
The Blues, who were bolstered by the inclusion of star trio, Stephen Silvagni, Craig Bradley and Anthony Koutoufides, badly missed Scott Camporeale, who was a late withdrawal prior to the game through injury.
The Crow’s midfielders capitalised on the absence of Camporeale with Simon Goodwin blanketing Bradley and Nigel Smart performing a similar role on Koutoufides.
Despite the atrocious conditions, Adelaide began the game well, responding to an early Carlton goal with four unanswered majors to set up a 20-point lead at the first change.
After Peter Vardy snapped his third goal early in the second term, Adelaide had set up a 26-point lead but some brief respite from the weather coincided with a Carlton comeback.
When Trent Hotton goaled at the 17-minute mark of the second term - Carlton's first score for more than a quarter – two more goals to Lappin and Koutoufides brought the Blues back within nine points.
However, a long goal on the run from Crows skipper Mark Ricciuto just before the main break gave the Crows a 15-point lead at half time.
The two teams traded goals in the third term with the Crows retaining their 15-point buffer at the final change and despite some last quarter heroics from Matthew Lappin (four goals) the Crows hung on for a much deserved first victory of the season.
Scoreboard:
ADELAIDE 4.3 6.4 7.6 9.8 (62)
CARLTON 1.1 4.1 5.3 8.5 (53)
Goals:
Adelaide: M Ricciuto 4 P Vardy 3 S Welsh S Goodwin.
Carlton: M Lappin 4 T Hotton 2 R Houlihan A Koutoufides.
Best:
Adelaide: D Jarman B Hart N Smart T Edwards M Ricciuto S Goodwin.
Carlton: B Ratten A Hickmott M Lappin S Freeborn S Beaumont C Bradley.
Injuries:
Adelaide: Nil.
Carlton: S Camporeale (hamstring) replaced in selected side by B Backwell.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: M McKenzie, D Humphrey-Smith, M Avon.
Official crowd: 21,110 at Optus Oval.
