ADELAIDE has avoided a second straight heartbreaking defeat, overcoming a third-quarter fight back from St Kilda to record a 19-point win at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

For the third week in a row the Crows, who relinquished leads against Port Adelaide and Carlton, were forced to defend a seemingly winning position, eventually coming out on top 13.12 (90) to 9.17 (71).

Adelaide led by five goals early in the third quarter, but watched the lead dwindle to 10 points at three-quarter time as the Saints piled on four of the next five goals.

A major to first-gamer Jamie Cripps cut the margin to just three points at the start of the final term.

The vocal home crowd may have prepared itself for another soul-destroying loss, but the inexperienced Crows found a resolve that had been absent for the past month.

Adelaide wrestled back control of the game at the stoppages and forward Chris Knights bobbed up with two quick goals to give his side some breathing space.

The Saints continued to fight, but their inaccuracy - as it had all game - proved costly and Patrick Dangerfield sealed the win with a goal from 50m out.

Kurt Tippett was instrumental with four goals, including three in the first quarter, while Knights finished with three majors.

Cripps (two) and goalsneak Stephen Milne (three) were the only multiple goalkickers for the Saints.

St Kilda was forced to play out the final quarter without star forward Nick Riewoldt, who was knocked out in a marking contest just before the three-quarter time break.

His head collided heavily with Graham Johncock's shoulder, leaving the St Kilda skipper lying motionless on the ground on the members' side of AAMI Stadium.

Riewoldt jogged to the interchange bench, but club doctors took him straight down into the rooms for assessment.

He emerged to join the three-quarter time huddle, but in scenes reminiscent of his cousin Richmond forward Jack in round two, remonstrated with medical staff when he was told he would take no further part in the game.

The Saints had already used their substitute, with Cripps relacing fellow debutant Will Johnson at the start of the third quarter.

The Crows were forced to use their sub early in the second term when defender Phil Davis re-injured his troublesome shoulder in a tackle on Riewoldt.

Adelaide         4.3   6.9   8.10   13.12  (90)
St Kilda       0.6   1.9   6.12   9.17  (71)

GOALS
Adelaide: Tippett 4, Knights 3, Douglas 2, McKernan, Wright, Walker, Dangerfield
St Kilda: Milne 3, Cripps 2, Steven, Jones, Dal Santo, Schneider

BEST
Adelaide: Douglas, S. Thompson, Tippett, Knights, L. Thompson, Jacobs
St Kilda: Dal Santo, Armitage, Jones, Milne

INJURIES
Adelaide: Davis (shoulder)
St Kilda: Farren Ray (illness) replaced in selected side by Jamie Cripps, Riewoldt (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Phil Davis (shoulder) replaced by Brad Symes in the second quarter
St Kilda: Will Johnson replaced by Jamie Cripps at half time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Kennedy, Mollison

Official crowd: 33,854 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs