AFTER the Western Bulldogs mounted a vicious challenge in the third term and kicked four unanswered goals, Adelaide needed something special to avoid a home loss on Saturday night.

When the 'Dogs hit the lead early in the last, the Crows looked done.

Coach Brenton Sanderson said it wasn't an individual that lifted the side to a gutsy 18-point win, but a final group effort after what he described as a "lazy" third quarter.

"I was a bit concerned at three-quarter time because it felt like we were spent," he said.

"The effort we gave in the last quarter was something very special. I know there were some great individual acts, but I thought the team just willed their way to win."

Sanderson said the Bulldogs slowed his side down in the third quarter and stole the momentum by booting four straight goals.

But he said the mark of a good side was to be able to get out of trouble when needed; something the Crows certainly did on Saturday night.

"We seem to play our best footy when it's up and flowing…the Bulldogs had momentum and we couldn't get it back," he said.

"We had to slip into plan B at times, which was to kick the ball to a contest and outnumber it at the fall of the ball.

"When the chips are down, the Bulldogs hit the lead in the last quarter and there was just that special will to win that good clubs have."

Despite Saturday night's game being reigning club champion Scott Thompson's 200th, Sanderson said he didn't mention the 29-year-old at all.

Even when the side desperately needed a spark at three-quarter time, he said he didn't need to remind the group of Thompson's milestone; such is the playing group's "love" for the midfielder.

"I didn't mention him much at all actually, throughout the whole week," Sanderson said.

"I knew how much the boys adore him and I knew how much they were going to lift for him and the boys found a way to win."