ADELAIDE 8.1 12.6 15.15 22.18 (150)
MELBOURNE 4.4 6.5 7.7 11.8 (74)
Goals: Adelaide: B Burton 5 K Tippett 4 J Porplyzia 3 S Goodwin 3 L Jericho 3 C Knights B Vince N van Berlo S Stevens. Melbourne: C Morton 3 R Robertson 2 B Miller C Garland B Moloney A Wonaeamirri C Bartram M Bate.
Best: Adelaide: B Burton B Vince C Knights J Porplyzia K Tippett S Stevens N Bock N van Berlo. Melbourne: D Bell J White C Morton A Wonaeamirri.
Umpires: G Fila S Meredith M Ellis.
Official crowd: 35,649 at AAMI Stadium.


Top-four aspirants Adelaide disposed of basement dwellers Melbourne by 76 points at AAMI Stadium today, with inaccurate finishing by the Crows all that prevented an even greater rout.

The Demons began in hopeful fashion and pressured Adelaide for periods of the first quarter, but the rest of the match was played almost exclusively in the Crows' attacking half as they went on to win 22.18 (150) to 11.8 (74).

In the third term the Crows fired through a profligate 3.9, best afield Brett Burton (5.3) missing out on the chance to kick a genuine bag.

Kurt Tippett (four) Jason Porplyzia (three), Simon Goodwin (three) and Luke Jericho (three) also had a merry time up forward for Adelaide, capitalising on the delivery of a midfield led by Bernie Vince, Chris Knights and Nathan van Berlo.

Graham Johncock, Nathan Bock and Scott Stevens mopped up whatever scraps came their way in defence.

Melbourne's best efforts came from Daniel Bell and Jeff White, while Cale Morton managed three goals.

The trial of the new interchange protocol was not always smooth, the Crows reduced to 17 men at one point in the second term as player-driven rotations caught out bench officials.

Both sides had made late changes, young Crow Jarrhan Jacky subbed in for Kris Massie while Paul Johnson filled in for Melbourne at the expense of Jared Rivers.

The first quarter proved an open affair, the Demons holding their own in general play but falling down in defence.

They had only one less scoring shot than the home side in the first, but a return of 8.1 to 4.4 accurately reflected Adelaide's ability to penetrate deep into the forward line at speed without being pressed wide.

Adelaide was unable to score with quite that level of freedom again until the last.

AAP