ESSENDON has produced a withering fourth-quarter performance to stun Adelaide by 12 points on Friday night and ensure the pre-season hype at Tullamarine will continue.
The Bombers had lost four straight matches to the Crows by an average of 76 points, but kicked six of the last seven goals to snatch a 14.15 (99) to 12.15 (87) triumph at Etihad Stadium.
They trailed by 20 points at the seven-minute mark of the final term, only for a Cale Hooker mark and goal inside the contest's last four minutes to put Essendon in front for good.
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"We shouldn't have been 20 points down, in my opinion, at three-quarter time," winning coach John Worsfold said.
"Not through the way we were playing and the effort we were putting in. But we'd coughed up way too many balls that allowed Adelaide to take that lead.
"We basically said we've just got to believe in ourselves. We said we can't play safe, we just needed to keep playing our way.
"We'd seen enough to say that we could outscore them in the last quarter."
Hooker, the unheralded James Stewart and Joe Daniher all had their moments as the Bombers proved a tall forward line can still be potent in the modern game.
Stewart kicked three majors and his handball to Josh Begley, after shaking off two opponents, set-up the sealer.
Essendon's fleet-footed brigade, led by Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, were pivotal in swinging the match violently in their side's favour and left Adelaide helpless to stop the momentum.
Talking points: Essendon v Adelaide
David Zaharakis and Dyson Heppell each had 35 disposals for Essendon, while Matt Crouch (41) and Rory Laird (40) won plenty of the ball for the reigning Grand Finalist.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke refused to make any excuses for his team's last-quarter fadeout.
"It was a disappointing last quarter," Pyke said.
WATCH: Crows debutant Darcy Fogarty showed plenty
"We came here prepared to play and win a game of footy, and we were 20 (points) up at three-quarter time and we expect to win that game and we didn't.
"I thought we lost control of the ball and lost control of field position … and, as we know in games, and late in games in particular, when fatigue is in play field position is vital and we didn't hold it and didn't retain it."
The Bombers' triumph was even more meritorious given it lost Zach Merrett to concussion before quarter-time.
Crow reported as star Don down and out early
Crow Richard Douglas flattened the All Australian midfielder with a heavy bump that put Douglas in the umpires' book.
It was Merrett's second concussion inside a month after copping a stray elbow from premiership Tiger Kamdyn McIntosh in the clubs' opening JLT Community Series match.
WATCH: Douglas on report for hit on Merrett
Merrett only moments earlier caught Douglas holding the ball, sparking a heated face-off between the pair at the opposite end of the ground.
Both teams fielded fresh faces and it was one who had to wait so long to become an Adelaide footballer who helped ignite the contest.
Ex-Blue Bryce Gibbs transformed a drab affair on the scoreboard into an explosion of goals with two in the first five minutes of the third quarter as the expected shoot-out finally eventuated.
These teams made scoring look easy in 2017, but it took until that third term for the dam wall to bust open as the Crows piled on seven goals to three to charge into a winning position.
The high-octane quarter shot the Crows 20 points ahead at the final change after the sides shared only nine majors in the opening half.
WATCH: Brendon Goddard shows he's still got it
Gibbs was one of four debutants for Adelaide, along with impressive draftee Darcy Fogarty, Tom Doedee and Lachlan Murphy.
But most interest was focused on Essendon's three-pack of recruits – Jake Stringer, Devon Smith and Adam Saad – who all had an impact on occasion.
Saad kept Eddie Betts goalless, Stringer took a huge early intercept grab and had 10 of his 16 touches in the first half and Devon Smith (23) impressed with his defensive pressure.
WATCH: Begley gives Bombers a buffer
MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: Zach Merrett has now suffered three concussions in recent times, which is obvious reason for concern. Coach John Worsfold was reluctant to comment too much on his young star's condition, but he must be in serious doubt for next week.
Adelaide: Oft-injured Crow Curtly Hampton could be set for another stint on the sidelines after hurting his groin on Friday night. He was unsighted at AFL level after round nine last year because of a serious ankle issue in what was then the latest in a long string of ailments. Adelaide was unsure post-match of how bad Hampton's groin issue was.
NEXT UP
The Crows face a six-day turnaround as they prepare to host first-up winners Richmond in a much-anticipated Grand Final rematch at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. A loss would leave them in unfamiliar territory at 0-2. Essendon has a much kinder eight-day break before travelling west to take on Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
ESSENDON 4.2 5.8 8.10 14.15 (99)
ADELAIDE 3.5 4.9 11.12 12.15 (87)
GOALS
Essendon: Hooker 3, Stewart 3, Daniher 2, Green 2, McGrath, Bellchambers, Goddard, Begley
Adelaide: Jenkins 2, Gibbs 2, Fogarty 2, Hampton, McGovern, Murphy, Douglas, Greenwood, Ellis-Yolmen
BEST
Essendon: Heppell, Zaharakis, Hurley, Goddard, D.Smith, McDonald-Tipungwuti, McGrath
Adelaide: Laird, Gibbs, M.Crouch, Sloane, Doedee, Seedsman
INJURIES
Essendon: Merrett (concussion)
Adelaide: Hampton (groin), Gibson (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Greenwood
Reports: Richard Douglas (Adelaide) reported for rough conduct on Zach Merrett (Essendon)
Umpires: O'Gorman, Chamberlain, Pannell
Official crowd: 43,016 at Etihad Stadium
