The Crows got the jump early with four unanswered goals in ten minutes and led all day, seeing off a Demon’s final quarter rally to win 15.10 (100) to 12.12 (84).
It takes the Crows to a 9-8 win-loss record with its finals ambitions still in the balance while Melbourne at 6-11 can not make the eight.
Adelaide got its first two goals so quickly that Melbourne had only had one possession by the time the Crows were 12 points up.
Adelaide led by 22 points inside ten minutes and three goals from Darren Jarman - opposed by makeshift fullback Shane Woewodin - gave the Crows a 26-point advantage at the first change in blustery conditions.
At quarter time the statistics sheet was remarkably similar for both sides, however the Demons failed to enter their attacking 50 metre area with the same consistency and also were not able to match the Crows out of the centre.
Melbourne worked harder in the second term and entering time-on Jeff Farmer ran hard with the flight of the ball to cause an inspirational turnover that led to a Nathan Brown goal, and the Demons were down by just seven points.
Melbourne's lateral chipping style in the third quarter had the small crowd crying for blood, especially when captain David Neitz - who otherwise performed well - kicked diagonally backwards in defence at the 20 minute mark, allowing Jarman to intercept and stroll in for his fifth goal.
Adelaide had slowed significantly since the first quarter and a 22-point break at the final change was still vulnerable to a Melbourne revival.
Two goals to Russell Robertson in the first eight minutes of the last quarter narrowed the gap to eight points and the game was alive.
The gap was still just ten points at the 25-minute mark when Adelaide swept the ball from its defensive goalsquare all the way up-field for James Byrne to goal on the run to seal an unconvincing win.
Scoreboard:
ADELAIDE 6.1 9.3 12.7 15.10 (100)
MELBOURNE 1.5 6.8 8.9 12.12 ( 84)
Goals: Adelaide: D Jarman 6 S Welsh 3 J Byrne N Smart M Stevens B Marsh S Goodwin D Gallagher.
Melbourne: R Robertson 3 B Green 2 C Bruce 2 J Farmer 2 D Neitz S Febey N Brown.
Best: Adelaide: S Goodwin D Jarman M Bickley S Welsh M ClarkE A McLeod.
Melbourne: D Neitz A Yze J Farmer S Febey R Robertson A Leoncelli.
Injuries: Adelaide: P Vardy (groin) replaced in selected side by M Doughty.
Melbourne: Nil.
Reports: M Smart (Adelaide) reported by field umpire J Harvey for tripping J Farmer (Melbourne) during the second quarter.
Umpires: C Mitchell, J Harvey, D Howlett.
Official crowd: 17,566 at MCG.
