THE WESTERN Bulldogs' top-four hopes are all but over after a Darcy Fogarty-inspired Adelaide romped to an upset 39-point victory at Adelaide Oval.
In his 100th game, Fogarty kicked an equal career-high five goals and handed off another to guide the Crows to the 17.9 (111) to 9.18 (72) victory on Sunday.
CROWS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats
The Bulldogs were riding a four-match winning streak and would have risen to within a victory of the teams sitting second to fourth if they had beaten the Crows.
But the loss leaves Luke Beveridge's men in seventh spot with a 12-9 record, two wins adrift of the top four with just two rounds remaining.
Even if the Bulldogs beat North Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney in the final two rounds, it's unlikely to be enough for them to snare a second-chance position in the finals.
The Dogs were their own worst enemy in front of goal against Adelaide, with Sam Darcy (1.5 and one out of bounds) the worst offender.
Darcy's sole goal came from three metres out with just over two minutes remaining in the match.
Goalkicking aside, the 21-year-old was prominent throughout with 21 disposals, five marks and a game-high 11 score involvements.
Marcus Bontempelli overcame a quiet start to finish with 26 possessions and two goals, but he tallied only two clearances and didn't have his usual impact.
Matt Crouch (32 disposals, seven clearances) and Lachlan Sholl (34 disposals) racked up big numbers for Adelaide, while Reilly O'Brien (59 hit-outs) monstered Tim English (15 hitouts) in the ruck.
Although the Bulldogs won the inside 50m count 59-43, Adelaide kicked 6.1 from centre clearances in an impressive display.
"Adelaide might have played the best game out of any team this weekend," Beveridge said post-match.
"Their pressure was red hot. We had no time and space.
"We weren't ready for Adelaide's best football this afternoon, which is a blight on us when there's a fair bit at stake."
The only concern for Adelaide was an injury to Tex Walker, who was subbed off in the third quarter after being accidentally poked in the right eye by English.
The Crows stunned the Dogs with five goals to one in the opening quarter.
Alarm bells were ringing when Ben Keays' third goal of the match late in the second quarter extended the margin to 33 points.
Bontempelli, who had been held to just nine disposals up until that moment, won a free kick in the dying seconds of the half before converting after the siren to give his team a pulse at the long break.
A strong mark and goal by Bontempelli to start the third quarter reduced the gap to 20 points, but it was the Fogarty show for the rest of the term.
He kicked two goals and set up another to Josh Rachele as the margin ballooned to 41 points at three-quarter time.
Star Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton was subbed off with six minutes remaining in the third quarter in a surprise tactical move.
Naughton had just four disposals and a single behind to his name.
Fogarty kicked his fifth goal in the last quarter, but the biggest cheers were saved for Daniel Curtin when the No.8 pick from last year's draft slotted the first two goals of his career.
"That was unbelievable. The group played really well. I couldn't be more proud of the boys," Fogarty said after the match.
"I think I was just lucky the boys kicked it to me tonight, which is nice."
A ton of fog
It's been a slow build to 100 games but Darcy Fogarty has become an integral part of Adelaide's forward line and celebrated his 100th game with five goals on Sunday. Taken with pick 12 in the 2017 National Draft, Fogarty kicked two goals on debut in round one the next year, but didn't become an automatic senior selection until 2021. Since then he has been improving year on year and, with Riley Thilthorpe by his side, the Fog is ready to rule the forward line when Taylor Walker leaves.
Big is beautiful, until it isn't
When the Bulldogs' tall forwards fire, Luke Beveridge's side looks like premiership material, but when things don't go right the Dogs' stocks drop like shares in a bean bag business. By three-quarter time on Sunday Aaron Naughton had been subbed out with three disposals, Sam Darcy had 0.4 on the board, while Jamarra Ugle-Hagan had one goal. A forest can become firewood very quickly, which in turn doesn't like having the heat on. If the Bulldogs are going to threaten in September - or even just get there - Bevo needs to find a way to fashion his fallen timber into useful tools when they get cut down.
Crows go nuts for Curtin raiser
There were big raps on Daniel Curtin when he was taken with the Crows' first selection at last year's draft. With the expectation he will fill a key defensive role for years to come it was a surprise when he kicked his first goal on Sunday. And it was a surprise of sorts for Curtin too. Completing a two-grab mark the 19-year-old was about to set himself when he thought the umpire called play on. Confusion reigned for a second before he threw caution to the wind, swinging around on his left foot and bombing the goal from 40, followed with the obligatory swamping by teammates.
ADELAIDE 5.2 9.6 14.7 17.9 (111)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.4 4.10 6.14 9.18 (72)
GOALS
Adelaide: Fogarty 5, Keays 3, Thilthorpe 2, Rachele 2, Curtin 2, Walker, Rankine, Dawson
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli 2, Ugle-Hagan, Williams, Treloar, Richards, McNeil, English, Darcy
BEST
Adelaide: Dawson, Fogarty, Keayes, Sholl, Crouch, Hinge
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Treloar, Liberatore, Darcy, English
INJURIES
Adelaide: Walker (eye)
Western Bulldogs: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Zac Taylor, replaced Taylor Walker at three-quarter time
Western Bulldogs: Caleb Daniel, replaced Aaron Naughton in the third quarter
Crowd: 39,177 at Adelaide Oval
