Adelaide's up and down roller-coaster season continued, keeping their win-loss form-line from the past seven matches intact. It was a well-rounded win too with coach Brenton Sanderson getting the four-quarter performance that he had been craving. The Crows won the ball and the clearances led by Patrick Dangerfield and veteran Scott Thompson, while Brodie Smith was outstanding coming out of defence. They also had the polish in the forward line. Eddie Betts was electric with three goals and James Podsiadly, who pulled down a screamer in the third quarter, is playing his role to perfection. The win evens Adelaide's ledger at 6-6 and keeps it in touch with the top eight. The question is can they break the trend with a big win away from home against Essendon next week?

We all knew Adelaide would come ready to play but North Melbourne certainly didn't. After two impressive wins in the west this season the Kangaroos hardly got near it at Adelaide Oval. The Crows jumped them in the first quarter and apart from a couple of quick goals in the third quarter, North was never in the game. Brent Harvey was again their best player, while Levi Greenwood and Ben Cunnington tried hard and Lindsay Thomas kicked four goals. They look like they will make the finals this year but a loss like this is a setback as they lose touch with the top four. It also leaves them just a game clear of the chasing pack with Adelaide and West Coast now very much in the hunt.

Adelaide livewire Eddie Betts produced perhaps the goal of the year so far with a stunning shot from the pocket in the first quarter. Somehow he kept the ball in play about 40 metres out at the scoreboard end before throwing the ball across his right boot as he tiptoed along the boundary line. It wasn't quite a banana or a snap but it sailed through the big sticks and Betts saluted to the screaming fans in the outer. Don't be surprised to see this goal take out the prize at the end of the season.

Hard-running midfielder Sam Kerridge has made a name for himself as a run-with player this season but he proved hard to handle on Saturday night with four goals. He only had nine possessions but was lethal with every single one he had. It's not the first time he's had his way with the Kangaroos. Last season in round nine he kicked six goals in the Crows' stunning come-from-behind win in the best performance of his career. No doubt he'll be looking forward to his next encounter with North Melbourne in Hobart in round 22.

Brenton Sanderson labelled it the toughest decision of his coaching career when he dropped Brent Reilly on 199 AFL games before Adelaide's all-important match against Collingwood in round nine. The move had some critics doubting Reilly's long-term future but true to his character he responded in the SANFL addressing Sanderson's issues as well as dominating down back. Earning a recall he looked at home again at Adelaide Oval. He showed poise out of defence and was rock solid when the ball came in. A proud performance (19 possessions, 7 marks) in his well-deserved 200th game.