The Bulldogs pushed the Crows all the way, but a seven-goal haul to Scott Welsh proved the difference as Adelaide scored its fourth win of the season - 20.13 (133) to 15.11 (101).
Crows ruckman Matthew Clarke scored the first goal of the match but it was the Bulldogs who had the better of the early play – controlling the centre square and going inside attacking 50 on numerous occasions.
The Dogs wasted their opportunities, however, scoring three behinds before Patrick Bowden soccered through their first major seven minutes in.
When Luke Darcy converted a free kick from 50 metres out the Dogs were 10 points up but Adelaide turned on a five-goal scoring burst to lead by 20 points at the first break.
Welsh started the ball rolling for the Crows, kicking truly after taking a spectacular mark, and followed that with another goal from a free kick soon after.
The Adelaide forward was awarded the kick after a high Brian Harris tackle that saw the Bulldog defender go into the umpires book.
The Dogs regrouped and came out firing after the break scoring four unanswered goals to snatch back the lead with 18 minutes played.
Darcy continued to be important – kicking the first and last goals of the quarter – as the Bulldogs pulled the deficit back to three points at half time.
Smart scored a popular goal on the run from the 50 as the second half got underway, but Matthew Robbins put through a quick reply for the Dogs who hit the front soon after when Brad Johnson slotted a sensational goal after taking four bounces down the members' wing.
The Crows looked shaky but young gun Trent Hentschel steadied the ship with his second goal 10 minutes in.
Welsh slotted his fourth and fifth goals as Adelaide put on another scoring burst – kicking five straight goals to take a 30-point lead into the final quarter.
Nathan Bock kicked his first for the day from the goal line after he was awarded a 50-metre penalty for a late bump by Steven Koops that saw the Bulldog reported.
Bowden gave the Dogs a sniff after stealing the ball from Ken McGregor and converting in the first minute of the last term but it was all Adelaide from that point with Welsh capping off his day with his seventh goal in the 22nd minute.
Adelaide coach Gary Ayres said Smart's teammates had provided the ideal send-off.
"If you write a script you want it to go that way… we’ve acknowledged what’s been a wonderful and fantastic career," Ayres said.
"To go out and win like that and play the way the side did – especially when it got challenged a few times today by the Western Bulldogs – I thought there were a lot of positives right throughout the course of the game."
"You don’t underestimate (our) youth because they are exuberant, they are enthusiastic, they do what they’re told, they’ll play to instruction and they’ll give you every single thing that they’ve got and I think that excites the older players… and really the whole 22 contributors today really played their part (so) I’m very, very pleased today."
ADELAIDE: 7.1, 10.4, 16.10, 20.13 (133)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.5, 9.7, 11.10, 15.11 (101)
Goals: Adelaide: Welsh 7, Skipworth 3, Hentschel 2, Bode 2, Biglands, Watts, Johncock, Bock, Smart, Clarke
Western Bulldogs: Bowden 3, Darcy 3, Hahn 2, Robbins 2, Murphy, Power, Harrison, Johnson, Smith
Best: Adelaide: Welsh, Bode, McLeod, Ricciuto, Skipworth, Edwards, Johncock Western Bulldogs: West, Bowden, Johnson, Darcy, Murphy
Injuries: Adelaide: None
Western Bulldogs: Harris (hand)
Reports: Westen Bulldogs: Harris reported by umpire Morris for unduly rough play on Welsh, Koops reported by umpire Morris for unduly rough play on Bock
Umpires: Coates, Morris, Meredith
Crowd: 36,774 at AAMI Stadium
