The emotion and tension of an enormous build-up appeared to take a heavy toll on the Kangaroos who faded badly in the second half to go down to Adelaide by 54 points at Telstra Dome on Friday night.

Adelaide forward Wayne Carey kicked four goals as his former team-mates effectively self-destructed under the pressure of the occasion.

Carey played a key role in the Crows 19.10 (124) to 9.16 (70) victory in a match largely devoid of the anticipated fireworks given this was Carey’s first game against his former club since he left the team he captained to two premierships before the start of last season after it was revealed he was having an affair with the wife of Anthony Stevens.

In fact the two – along with Stevens’ best mate, rugged Roos’ defender Glenn Archer – barely crossed paths all night, but when they did early in the second term it certainly provided one of the tensest moments of not only this season, but just about any AFL season.

Before the game the 38,000 strong crowd held their breath as they waited to see who would play on Carey with virtually the entire crowd hoping it would be the rugged Archer.

But instead it was Leigh Colbert, who got the nod to play on the man who was named captain of the Roos’ team of the century, although not before Colbert and Archer had some fun with the crowd by briefly threatening to swap opponents with the crowd roaring as Archer moved towards Carey.

However there was certainly no laughing when Carey and Stevens and Archer eventually crossed paths at the eight minute mark of the second quarter.

Carey gave a free-kick away for collecting Stevens off the ball – which led to a Kangaroos’ goal – and Archer immediately ran in to remonstrate with his former friend but now arch-enemy.

The tough Roos’ defender appeared to land a punch to Carey’s stomach and two of the most intimidating players in the AFL briefly shaped up as the crowd held its breath.

But the flare-up was over as soon as it began and as a whole this mistake-riddled match failed to live-up to its billing as one of the most eagerly awaited matches of not just this season but any season.

And while Carey was quiet for a lot of the match, he certainly did not let the intense pressure of the occasion get to him as he not only kicked the first goal of the match but helped finish his former club off in the final term with two more goals from strong marks.

In contrast, the Kangaroos simply failing to handle the occasion, and this was never more evident than in their wasteful kicking for goal as time and time again the Roos frittered away simple goal-scoring opportunities.

In fact from quarter-time onwards they kicked a wasteful 5.15 which summed up their performance.

Even some of the Roos’ most experienced players missed goals they should have kicked with Shannon Grant, Jess Sinclair (who was one of the Roos’ few good contributors on the night) and David King (twice) all missing shots just before half-time as the Roos dominated but failed to put scoreboard pressure on the visitors.

And it got worse in the third term as Corey Jones missed a shot on the run from 40 metres – with no Crows’ player even near him – just after King had passed right between two teammates when a certain goal beckoned, allowing Adelaide to clear.

And when minutes later Carey soccered one of the ground after Nigel Smart had forced a turnover with a great tackle on John Baird – Roos’ fans were sensing it was not going to be their night.

It scarcely mattered that minutes lately that Smart left the field with a knee injury as by the final term Roos’ fans were more worried about the immediate on-field future of their embattled club – now winless in the past three matches – as the Crows did as they pleased in kicking eight goals to one.

KANGAROOS: 3.1, 7.6, 8.12, 9.16 (70)
ADELAIDE: 5.3, 8.5, 11.8, 19.10 (124)

GOALS: Kangaroos: Harvey, King 2, Sinclair, Bourke, Archer, Jones, Harding.
Adelaide: Carey 4, Burns 3, Perrie, Bode 2, Edwards, Stenglein, Goodwin, Bickley, Johncock, McLeod, Bassett, Mattner.
BEST: Kangaroos: Sinclair, Archer, Simpson, Jones, Grant, Harvey. Adelaide: Ricciuto, Bode, Johncock, Clarke, Bickley, McLeod.
INJURIES: Kangaroos: Hale (abdominal region).
Adelaide: Goodwin (corked thigh), Smart (medial ligament).
CHANGES: Kangaroos: Nil
Adelaide: Nil
UMPIRES: James, Kennedy, Wenn.
CROWD: 38,469 at Telstra Dome.