ADELAIDE’S finals aspirations have been dealt another blow with the Crows going down to Geelong by 68 points, 8.8 (56) to 18.16 (124), in front of 44,377 fans at AAMI Stadium.

The awesome Cats put on a clinic, handing Adelaide its biggest loss of the season and, demonstrating just how big the gulf between second and fifth on the ladder is.

Michael Doughty and Rob Shirley combined to restrict Gary Ablett Jr to a reasonable 25 possessions, but Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright and Joel Selwood shared the load, each finishing with career-best disposal tallies.

Richard Douglas (two) was the only multiple goalkicker for the Crows, while Tom Lonergan (four) and Mathew Stokes (three) led the Cats' scoring onslaught. Simon Goodwin (34 possessions), Tyson Edwards (26) and Kris Massie (22) were solid contributors for Adelaide.

The Crows vowed to go on the offensive against a white-hot Geelong, but it was the reigning premier that did all the attacking in the first quarter.

The Cats dominated possession and racked up 10 scoring shots to one as a stifled Adelaide bumbled around with the footy.

Coach Neil Craig predicted an increase in errors as his side attempted to boost its scoring return, but the Crows’ skills were made to look second-rate by the well drilled and polished Cats.

Steve Johnson got the visitors on the board and Adelaide, despite its desperate defensive efforts, couldn’t prevent Johnson’s second major just minutes later.

The Crows’ back six were under siege and struggled to repel the constant Geelong attack. Tom Lonergan capitalised on another forward entry with the first of his four goals.

Adelaide was forced wide and played into the Cats’ hands with hurried, long bombs inside 50m.

Nathan van Berlo provided the home side’s only score for the quarter with an ill-directed shot on goal registering a behind.

A dubious 50m penalty to ruckman Mark Blake handed Geelong its fourth goal and the Cats a 29-point lead at the first change.

Adelaide straightened up in the second term, rediscovering the corridor and immediately finding Kurt Tippett, who pinpointed Jason Porplyzia.

Porplyzia coolly slotted his team’s first, but another turnover in the Crows defence gifted Geelong, and Lonergan, the reply.

Graham Johncock and Kris Massie generated some run across halfback, but Adelaide failed to make the most of the brief shift in momentum.

Brett Burton’s helicopter kick from 40m out failed to register a score and two more shots on goal were touched on the line.

All-Australian defender Ben Rutten was shifted forward to create another strong option, but Lonergan was again the target at the other end, nailing his third.

The Cats made it look easy late in the term with another goal, this time to Cam Mooney, on their way to an AFL-record 249 possessions and a 45-point lead at half time.

Craig swung more changes at the start of the third term with Nathan Bassett also given a role up forward and Brent Reilly going down to the rooms with a knee injury.

Burton gave his coach the perfect start with the first goal of the term, but it failed to derail the runaway Cats.

There were simply not enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe Geelong’s sheer brilliance when Gary Ablett, Corey Enright and Mooney all got involved in a goal to ball magnet Joel Corey.

Mooney nailed another of his own moments later and when Massie and Matthew Stokes went goal for goal, the margin was out to 50 points at the last change.

The Cats kept coming in the final term with majors to Stokes, Lonergan, Andrew Mackie and Paul Chapman threatening to hand the Crows a record defeat, but goals to Johncock, Tyson Edwards and Ivan Maric gave the home crowd some respite.

Adelaide will now need to regroup before heading to the MCG for the clash with Collingwood next Saturday.

Adelaide 0.1 2.5 4.8 8.8 (56)
Geelong 4.6 9.8 12.10 18.16 (124)

GOALS
Adelaide: Douglas 2, Burton, Johncock, Porplyzia, Massie, Edwards, Maric
Geelong: Lonergan 4, Stokes 3, Johnson, Corey, Mooney 2, Ling, Varcoe, Blake, Chapman, Mackie

BEST
Adelaide: Goodwin, Edwards, Stevens, Massie
Geelong: Enright, Bartel, Selwood, Mackie, Johnson, Ling, Lonergan

INJURIES
Adelaide: Reilly (knee)
Geelong: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 44,377 at AAMI Stadium