Coach Don Pyke has praised Adelaide’s ability to grind out a win against Fremantle on Saturday.

The Crows only led by seven points after a scrappy first quarter, but increased their lead at every change to record a 33-point win.

Pyke described the match against the winless Dockers as an arm wrestle.

“We played an opposition who was desperate coming off a poor start to the season and, whilst we maybe didn’t play to the standard we wanted to play to, it was really pleasing that we found a way,” Pyke said.

Pyke again praised his side’s even contribution on a day that failed to produce an attractive game of football, but one that delivered the Crows another crucial four points.

Rory Sloane and Scott Thompson were again hard at it on the inside and they were well supported all over the ground.

Pyke said the game could have appeared differently though had the Dockers made the most of their chances in front of goal, particularly in the second term when they booted 1.8.

“(Fremantle's misses) certainly assisted (us) in the second quarter…that potentially helped keep us in the game,” he said.

“But the reality is they didn’t kick those goals.

“I just thought at half-time we looked at some areas we wanted to work on in terms of the way we were moving the ball, our work around the contest…in the third quarter we were able to find a way.”

Pyke backed skipper Taylor Walker to start improving quickly after another lean day in front of goal.

Walker was held goalless by impressive Fremantle defender Alex Pearce, meaning he’s booted just four goals in his past three appearances.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon said he believed Walker was carrying an injury - a claim Pyke rejected.

Pyke insisted Walker’s slow form was simply a result of the key forward returning to the game from a foot injury earlier in the season.

“As was documented, he had a foot problem at the start of the year,” Pyke said.

“He’s pretty much through the end of that.

“Through that of course he’s not able to do the level of training so he’s going to get better and better from here.

“He’s going to be able to train more regularly and that’ll help him with his touch and everything else.”

The only souring note for the Crows was a toe injury to Rory Laird.

Laird was spotted chatting to club doctors and appeared to be testing his foot out prior to the match and the club described it as a bruised toe. Pyke said that Laird would have precautionary scans.