Carlton stopped to a walk as Adelaide claimed a 38-point win in their AFL pre-season clash, but Dale Thomas shone on debut for his new side in a good sign for the Blues.

Adelaide won 1.13.12 (99) to Carlton’s 0.9.7 (61) in Monday night’s game at Etihad Stadium.

Shaun McKernan kicked three goals for Adelaide while David Ellard booted three for the Blues.

Matthew Wright with 29 possessions was a star for Adelaide and Marc Murphy had a game-high 30 touches for the Blues.

Trailing by a point at the final change, Adelaide kicked six goals including a nine-pointer to Carlton’s one goal in the last quarter.

“We didn’t have a best player and that’s a bit of a concern,” Carlton coach Mick Malthouse said.

However Malthouse wasn’t greatly worried overall, joking that he told his players pre-game that if they lost the match he’d make an excuse to the media.

Ex-Magpie Thomas finished with 18 disposals, taking a spectacular mark on the wing in the second term and launching himself into a heavy collision for the loose ball in following quarter.

Malthouse was pleased to see Thomas, Kade Simpson, Heath Scotland, Michael Jamison, Jeff Garlett and Matthew Kreuzer get some valuable match conditioning after missing Carlton’s seven-point win over North Melbourne on February 15.

“It was almost predictable that six of our players who had been out of action, coming back were never going to impact the last half,” Malthouse said.

“The most important thing was that they got through.”

Malthouse said 2011 All-Australian Thomas, who was restricted to five games at Collingwood in 2013 because of ankle troubles, “gave us a bit”.

The Blues struggled when Bryce Gibbs and Chris Yarran were off the field in the final term because of what Malthouse described as soreness.

Adelaide also have an injury concern with key forward James Podsiadly suffering a bruised hip.

Coach Brenton Sanderson is confident the ex-Cat will be fit for Adelaide’s final pre-season clash with Greater Western Sydney in Blacktown on March 7. Carlton will host Western Bulldogs at Visy Park on the same day.

Sanderson said Adelaide’s four-goal first half was a sloppy performance.

“All we needed to do was re-set and that’s what good clubs do,” he said.

“A lot of our young kids, it was great to see their contests after halftime were really strong.”

Sanderson said midfielder Wright had been fantastic in Adelaide’s pre-season wins over Port Adelaide and Carlton.

Two-time All-Australian Patrick Dangerfield, who kicked two key goals including a stunning nine-pointer in the final term, was praised by Sanderson as a special player.

“Dangerfield’s best is electric,” Sanderson said.