ADELAIDE has staged an outstanding late comeback for its first win of the season, upsetting Carlton by two points in a pulsating clash.

The Crows kicked the last three goals of the game in the Saturday twilight clash at Marvel Stadium for the 16.4 (100) to 14.14 (98) win in front of 46,283 fans.

BLUES v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Had the Blues won, it would have been their first 5-0 start since they last won the premiership in 1995.

There will be plenty of debate around a score review in the third term when Carlton's Matthew Owies had a snap and the goal umpire ruled it was touched off the boot.

The score stayed a behind on review and Blues fans were ropeable when they saw the video replays on the big screens.

It will go down as one of the games of the season, with 15 lead changes.

When Charlie Curnow snapped his third goal 17 minutes into the last term, the Blues led by 16 points and they had 10 inside 50s to two in the quarter to that point.

Another Carlton goal would have snapped the rubber band, but the Crows' desperation paid off and at 1-4, they have kept their rapidly fading finals hopes alive.

Sam Berry, who was the substitute, snapped through the winning goal with just over a minute remaining.

Carlton was left two short late in the game when Mitch McGovern went off the ground, after Adam Saad also suffered a hamstring injury that forced him out in the second term.

Blues midfielder Sam Walsh celebrated his first game of the season with a best-afield performance, racking up 34 disposals after recovering from a back injury.

Adelaide key forward Taylor Walker was mighty, kicking four goals.

The Crows made a solid start, with two majors apiece to Walker and Ben Keays in the first term, but Carlton kicked the last three for a seven-point lead.

Neither side could open a lead of more than seven points through the next two quarters.

With Carlton twin towers Harry McKay and Curnow threatening, Adelaide put an extra man into defence and it stunted the Blues' attack.

The two teams went goal for goal in the third term and fittingly scores were level heading into the last quarter.

Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch is likely to come under Match Review scrutiny for collecting Jack Carroll high as they contested a ground ball on the outer wing in the frenetic final period.

Blues superstar dominates on return
Playing his first game of 2024, Sam Walsh dominated for Carlton. He had 34 disposals, 13 tackles, seven clearances and nine score involvements in a stunning performance. While he got support from captain Patrick Cripps (22 disposals, seven clearances and a goal), the Blues fell short.

Crows mix it up
After plenty of criticism of their midfield to begin the season, the Crows mixed it up in round five. The midfielders who enjoyed the most centre bounce attendances against the Blues were Jake Soligo (22), Izak Rankine (20) and Matt Crouch (18), with Jordan Dawson (16) and Rory Laird (16) having slightly lesser roles in the middle.

CARLTON           5.1     8.2     11.9     14.14 (98)  
ADELAIDE          4.0     7.2     12.3     16.4 (100)  

GOALS
Carlton: Curnow 4, McKay 2, Pittonet, Owies, E.Hollands, Fantasia, Durdin, Cripps, Cottrell, Acres
Adelaide: Walker 4, Rankine 3, Keays 3, Rachele 2, Gollant, Dawson, Cook, Berry

BEST
Carlton: Walsh, Curnow, McKay, Cripps, Acres
Adelaide: Rankine, Soligo, Walker, Keays, Rachele, Hinge

INJURIES
Carlton: Saad (hamstring), McGovern (hamstring)
Adelaide: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Carlton: Adam Cerra (hamstring strain) replaced by Marc Pittonet
Adelaide: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Carlton: Jack Carroll (replaced Adam Saad in the second quarter)
Adelaide: Sam Berry (replaced Lachlan Gollant in the fourth quarter) 

Crowd: 46,283 at Marvel Stadium