Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson has hailed their upset AFL Showdown win as the crucial result that gives them momentum for a top-eight assault.
The Crows dominated the second half – Port Adelaide’s domain so far this year – to win 14.15 (99) to 10.16 (76) on Sunday night at Adelaide Oval.
It breaks the Power’s three-game Showdown winning streak and is also the first time this year they have lost at the ground christened the “Portress”.
Adelaide gained even greater pleasure out of their best win of the season because it cost Port top spot for the first time since round eight.
The Power, who failed to kick a third-term goal for the first time this season, dropped to second behind Hawthorn.
“I know people were waiting for us to beat a top four side and we beat the top side – now we’ve got the belief,” Sanderson said.
“The belief has always been there internally, it’s just about the execution under pressure and four quarters of effort.
Adelaide’s challenge now will be to break their win-loss, win-loss sequence that goes back to round six.
Their next opponent is lowly Greater Western Sydney away, before two big matches against the Hawks (home) and Collingwood (away).
The Crows have a 7-7 record and are one win outside the top eight.
“I think the momentum is ahead of us – our objective is to get into the eight,” Sanderson said.
“We won’t be satisfied with just beating Port this week.
“We have to make sure we take momentum into the rest of the season.”
Also on Sunday, the Western Bulldogs outlasted Melbourne in a pulsating last term to win by six points at Etihad Stadium.
Bulldogs first-year player Marcus Bontempelli snapped an astonishing goal with three minutes left and they held on to win 14.7 (91) to 13.7 (85).
Melbourne trailled by 37 points in the first half and coach Paul Roos said their start to the match was diabolical.
The Demons then stormed back with seven goals in the third term to set up the thrilling last quarter.
While the Hawks beat Gold Coast by 53 points on Saturday in Launceston and ultimately returned to top spot, the weekend’s successes came at a high price.
Their star utility Cyril Rioli suffered the seventh hamstring injury of his career during the Suns match.
It is worse than expected and his season might be over, with Rioli sidelined for eight to 10 weeks.
That means, at best, Rioli will not return until the last round of the regular season.
Brisbane honoured retired great Jonathan Brown with a shock four-point win on Saturday night that raises fresh questions about North Melbourne.
Fremantle survived a late rally from West Coast to win the western derby by seven points, while Sydney downed their cross-town rivals GWS by 46 points.
Richmond beat St Kilda by 44 points and Geelong opened round 15 on Friday night with a pulsating nine-point win over Essendon.
