Comeback Crows sink Brisbane in AFL thriller
Adelaide have produced a stunning last-quarter comeback to sink reigning premiers Brisbane by five points in an AFL thriller.
Down 17 points at three-quarter time, the Crows then booted five goals to none for a 10.8 (68) to 8.15 (63) triumph at a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
Adelaide will retain a hold on third spot regardless of other weekend results - they're just two premiership points behind the second-placed Lions.
Adelaide livewire forward Josh Rachele slotted three goals, as did did ex-Lion Ben Keays (20 disposals).
And their captain Jordan Dawson took a mark-of-the-year contender - and then goaled - during a final-term flourish which enhances the Crows' status as a genuine contender.
Adelaide boast nine wins and four losses and appear certain to return to the finals for the first time since 2017.
Brisbane duo Cam Rayner and Charlie Cameron kicked two goals each and Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft was outstanding with a game-high 31 disposals.
Ashcroft's midfield colleagues Hugh McCluggage (27 touches, one goal), Jarrod Berry (28 possessions) and Lachie Neal (22) also revelled in the wet.
The quartet overpowered the on-ball brigade of Adelaide for the initial three quarters before the Crows' unheralded last term.
In slippery conditions, it took until the 21st minute of the game for Brisbane's Rayner to score the opening goal.
Just 60 seconds later, the Lions struck again when Callum Ah Chee bounced through a major.
The visitors led 2.3 to 0.6 at the end of a first quarter which could land Crows recruit James Peatling in strife for a sling tackle on Neale.
The Lions champ wasn't hurt when his head hit the turf but Peatling was penalised for a dangerous tackle certain to attract match review scrutiny.
Brisbane scored three goals in nine minutes to create a 21-point advantage midway through the second term.
But Adelaide responded to the danger with Rachele threading a remarkable 45m set shot from outside a boundary line to help reduce their deficit - the Lions led by eight points at halftime, 5.3 to 3.7.
That advantage was reduced to two points early in the third quarter when Rachele snapped his second goal - and some 26 minutes into the term, the home side were still within four points.
But late strikes from Cameron and Kai Lohmann gave Brisbane a 17-point buffer at three-quarter time.
Adelaide then stormed to victory with five goals to none in less than 18 minutes.
Tall attacker Riley Thilthorpe triggered the spree with a classy goal on the run from an acute angle - Keays, Dawson, Rachele and Keays again followed with majors for an 11-point lead.
The Lions pressed late but could add only eight behinds in the final quarter - plus two attempts which sailed out-on-the-full.
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