Round 14 v North Melbourne, Adelaide Oval
Adelaide overcame its most inaccurate performance in almost 23 years to notch its fifth-straight win, defeating North Melbourne by 33 points at Adelaide Oval in Round 14.
The Crows booted a Club record 28 behinds - the most by any team since 1995.
In damp and windy conditions, Adelaide was its own worst enemy with poor execution keeping the Kangaroos in the contest until late in the game.
After a dominant but wasteful opening term, Adelaide found themselves on the back foot as the visitors dominated play in the second quarter with 15 inside 50ms to the Crows’ eight entries.
Adelaide managed to claw back momentum in the third term, kicking the first three goals of the second half.
The home side then lifted in the final term when the match was on the line, with goals to Rory Atkins, Richard Douglas and Matt Crouch sealing the contest.
Daniel Talia was brilliant in defence, Jake Lever and Rory Laird also rebounded well, while tough nuts Matt Crouch and Rory Sloane were superb in the midfield.
ADELAIDE 3.8 4.13 8.18 12.28 (100)
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.2 6.5 9.6 10.7 (67)
BEST: M.Crouch, Sloane, Laird, Atkins, Talia, Lever, Lynch
GOALS: Betts, Walker, M. Crouch, Douglas 2, Lynch, McGovern, Jenkins, Atkins
Round 15 v Melbourne, MCG
Adelaide withstood a plucky Melbourne to record a 22-point win at the MCG and join the logjam of teams with 10 wins after the mid-season bye rounds.
It appeared as if Adelaide's fast-paced style would be too much for Melbourne to handle early in the contest as the Crows opened up a 17-point lead by quarter-time.
The Crouch brothers, Matt and Brad, were central to the Crows' early dominance, setting the tone with their ferocious attack on the ball.
However, Melbourne turned the contest on its head in the second-quarter, kicking eight goals to wrestle back the lead at half-time.
Adelaide’s regrouped after the main break with four goals in the opening five minutes of the second half to take resume control and cement its sixth win in a row.
Brad Crouch finished with a team-high 26 touches, seven clearances and eight tackles, while Rory Lairds once again excellent across half-back with 25 disposals and 10 marks.
ADELAIDE 5.2 8.5 15.8 18.12 (120)
MELBOURNE 2.3 10.4 14.5 15.8 (98)
BEST: Laird, Walker, M.Crouch, B.Crouch, Cameron, Douglas
GOALS: Walker, Douglas, Betts 3, Jenkins, Cameron, McGovern 2, Lynch, Atkins, Lyons
Adelaide won back-to-back games at the MCG in Rounds 15 and 16
Round 16 v Carlton, MCG
Round 16 saw the Crows move into the top four for the first time in 2016, belting Carlton by 60 points on a slippery Sunday afternoon at the MCG.
Adelaide extended its advantage at every change over the Blues, who found scoring difficult against a strong Crows defence spearheaded by Rory Laird (35 disposals, nine rebound 50s) across half-back.
Ricky Henderson was solid with 23 possessions in his sixth senior game of the season and Jake Lever (26 disposals) showed great composure for a second-year player.
Carlton was held goalless for almost two quarters, underlining Adelaide’s defensive supremacy, before former Crow Matthew Wright broke the drought at the four-minute mark of the final term.
Former Blues Eddie Betts (three goals) and Sam Jacobs (15 disposals, 36 hit-outs and three goals) were both influential against their old club, while Rory Sloane led the way in the midfield again with 34 touches, eight tackles and ten clearances.
ADELAIDE 4.3 9.6 12.10 16.11 (107)
CARLTON 3.0 6.1 6.2 7.5 (47)
BEST: Laird, Sloane, Henderson, Talia, Lever, Jacobs
GOALS: Betts, Jacobs, Jenkins 3, B.Crouch, McGovern, Walker, Lynch, Douglas, Lyons, Mackay
Round 17 v Collingwood, Adelaide Oval
Adelaide celebrated Scott Thompson’s 300th AFL game in style, recording a comfortable 28-point victory over Collingwood at Adelaide Oval.
The win extended Adelaide’s unbeaten streak to eight games and moved them into second on the ladder.
The Crows stamped their authority on the contest with the opening five goals before Collingwood fought back strongly, kicking five of the next seven majors.
Despite the Magpies’ strong tackling pressure, Collingwood was soundly beaten at the contest with Adelaide boasting a 14-5 advantage at centre clearances to three-quarter time as Jarryd Lyons, Brad Crouch and milestone man Scott Thompson got busy in close.
However, it wasn’t until the final term that the Crows were able to put the contest beyond doubt, with goals to Mitch McGovern and Eddie Betts finally sealing the win.
ADELAIDE 5.2 8.7 11.12 14.13 (97)
COLLINGWOOD 1.6 5.7 8.7 10.9 (69)
BEST: Smith, Sloane, Talia, Lyons, B.Crouch, Lever
GOALS: Betts 3, Lyons, Lynch 2, Walker, Jacobs, Jenkins, McGovern, Henderson, Atkins, Cameron
Adelaide's victory over Collingwood in Round 17 marked the Club's eighth win in a row
Round 18 v Geelong, Simonds Stadium
Adelaide’s eight-game winning streak came to a screeching halt against Geelong on a wet and wild night at Simonds Stadium.
For the second time in 2016, Geelong was able to nullify the Crows’ potent offence, restricting Adelaide to just 55 points - its lowest score of the season.
The 30-point loss was Adelaide’s ninth successive defeat at Simonds Stadium. The Crows’ last win at ‘the Cattery’ was way back in Round 10, 2003.
Adelaide was unable to penetrate Geelong’s defence all night as the Cats controlled the corridor. Veteran backman Corey Enright (31 disposals) was instrumental for the home side, claiming several intercept marks.
Fresh off the back of signing a five-year contract, Josh Jenkins kicked three goals by half-time, including a 50-metre bomb from a stoppage late in the second quarter.
But Adelaide’s forwards failed to fire in the second half as the Crows were out-muscled and out-played in the soggy conditions.
Matt Crouch (31 disposals, eight tackles) and brother Brad (21 disposals, seven tackles) battled hard against the tide all night, but it was a case of too much left to too few.
ADELAIDE 3.2 5.5 5.10 7.13 (55)
GEELONG 4.1 5.6 10.9 12.13 (85)
BEST: M.Crouch, B.Crouch, Laird, Thompson, Jenkins
GOALS: Jenkins 3, Lynch 2, Betts, Douglas
