Adelaide captain Taylor Walker has played a starring role with the Crows eclipsing Richmond by 36 points to climb into the AFL’s top eight.
Adelaide triumphed 11.22 (88) to 8.4 (52) at Adelaide Oval on Friday night to rise to seventh spot ahead of weekend matches.
Adelaide forwards Walker and Josh Jenkins were influential in a result which puts a dent in Richmond’s top four aspirations.
>>See how the game unfolded in our live blog.
The Tigers could find themselves up to eight premiership points outside the top four by Sunday after being unable to contain the Crows attacking duo.
Walker dominated but tarnished his 21-disposal, 10-mark display with wayward goalkicking – 2.5, and two out on the full – while Jenkins (two goals) produced a game-breaking cameo.
Adelaide’s renowned midfield duo Patrick Dangerfield (29 disposals) and Scott Thompson (30 touches) were also standouts, feasting on the control of their ruckman Sam Jacobs.
And small forwards Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron potted two goals each as the Crows prevailed before a crowd of 50,094.
Richmond, still with 11 wins, relied heavily on the output of Dustin Martin, who slotted three goals, while Shaun Grigg (23 touches) and Taylor Hunt (23 possessions) toiled gamely.
But Richmond, who lost backman Dylan Grimes to a hamstring injury and were without pre-game withdrawal Brett Deledio (illness), lacked cohesion – only Adelaide’s wasteful goal-shooting kept them in it.
The Crows failed to make the most of a first-half territorial advantage – 36 inside 50s to 17 – and led by just six points at halftime.
And they frittered further chances in the third term, at one stage leading 5.14 to 5.2.
Richmond’s prime mover Martin then goaled to draw the visitors within six points about 20 minutes into the quarter.
But Jenkins emphatically responded for Adelaide with two clutch goals in a three-minute burst.
And when his eye-catching teammate Dangerfield followed with a goal on the run the Crows held a defining 26-point buffer at three quarter-time.
Adelaide’s interim coach Scott Camporeale, now with three wins and two losses since taking over after the death of Phil Walsh, praised the spirit of his players.
“The way they attacked the game today is the blueprint,” Camporeale said.
“I felt like we were in control for most of the night.”
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said his side was “never in the game”.
“To be honest, it was like a 100-point loss in the coach’s box and our players felt the same thing,” he said.
“We got obliterated in contested ball, tackles and clearances.”
Defender Grimes was substituted because of a knee injury, Hardwick said.
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