A fourth-quarter comeback was not enough for the Crows to topple North Adelaide in a SANFL pre-season game at West Lakes.

Adelaide trailed the entire match and entered the final term 45 points down before a flurry of goals with the wind levelled the score.

But in the dying seconds of the match, the Roosters kicked a point to claim the smallest of victories.

Adelaide had kicked eight goals to North’s one in the fourth.

Jackson Hately was dominant throughout but threw on the afterburners late in the game, kicking three majors in the final term.

Brayden Cook shone for all four quarters and grabbed the Crows’ opening two goals of the game.

Will Hamill endured a quiet first half, like the entire Crows side, but came to life in the second according to SANFL coach Mick Godden.

“Easy way to put it is we were rusty in the first half and then really strong in the second half,” Godden said.

“Jackson Hately was very good through the midfield. He played a really good brand of footy, pushed forward and kicked a few goals.

“Will Hamill really stood out for me as well, quiet in the first half but enjoyed a really strong second.

Perhaps best of all, Wayne Milera returned to competitive football for the first time in almost a year and finished unscathed, adding a goal to the scoresheet in the fourth. 

“He’s such a popular guy and he finished the game unscathed,” Godden said.

“There was an excellent moment late in the game where he pushed forward, laid a smother and kicked a goal.

“It will give him a lot of confidence as well.”

Adelaide will play Norwood in its next SANFL trial on Saturday, March 19 before the season commences on April 1 in a showdown curtain raiser.

Adelaide:
2.1       2.7       4.11     12.15 (87)        

North Adelaide:
6.5       9.8       12.8     13.10 (88)

Goals:
Hately (3), Cook (2), Strachan (2), Hutchens, Clamp, Freeman, Milera, Parnell