NORTH Melbourne's nightmare season has turned even blacker after Adelaide stormed back from 30 points down in the last quarter to win by one point at Etihad Stadium.
The Crows did not lead until the dying seconds of the game when Jared Petrenko ran in to soccer a goal from point-blank range that sealed a remarkable comeback victory, 18.17 (125) to 19.10 (124).
Sam Kerridge was the hero with six goals as the Crows slammed on the final five goals of the game – three coming from Kerridge himself.
But the game was more about the Roos' inability to close out another opponent that they looked to have at their mercy.
After dropping games by less than a goal to Geelong (round two), Hawthorn (round five) and West Coast after the siren last Friday night, the Roos looked headed for a rare easy day at the office in 2013 when they led the Crows by 39 points at the six-minute mark of the second term.
At the time, the Crows had kicked just one goal, with the Roos' defensive pressure outstanding.
However, Adelaide suddenly found its run, and the game became a fast-moving goal feast as both teams moved the ball quickly down the ground and scored freely.
After the Crows had closed to 10 points at half-time, the Roos stretched their lead to 18 points at three-quarter time and looked home when Daniel Wells kicked truly after a kick-in error to put North 30 points up at the nine-minute mark of the final term.
But the Kerridge-inspired Crows then opened some fresh mental scars for the Roos, storming to an unlikely and famous win.
Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson said in his post-match conference he was still shocked the Crows had won, 25 minutes after the game ended.
"We started to get on top a little bit around the footy," Sanderson said of the Crows' final-quarter fightback.
"I thought North Melbourne were the better side around the ball most of the game. We started to win the ball inside, contested ball numbers got back in our favour and I guess (we made) some really important plays late in the game."
After starting up forward, Patrick Dangerfield (30 possessions) was outstanding for the Crows in the middle and was well supported by Richard Douglas (28) and Scott Thompson (24), while Josh Jenkins (three goals) gave the Crows an aerial presence up forward.
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said his team had lost the "unloseable game".
"It was abysmal. We're following a pattern of being able to put ourselves in winnable positions regularly and get five or six goals up and not be able to continue to do what good sides do, which is put the foot to the throat of the opposition and start squeezing," Scott said.
"And good sides do it and we don't and that pretty simply makes us not a good side at the moment."
Fittingly, in Indigenous Round, Lindsay Thomas was one of North's best, kicking five first-half goals and setting up several others with clever play.
Midfielder Ben Cunnington was also good for the Roos, combining his usual bullocking work through the midfield with three goals, with Sam Gibson (30 possessions), Daniel Wells (20) and defender Scott Thompson also good.
North's disappointing day could become even worse with vice-captain Jack Ziebell likely to come under the scrutiny of the match review panel for a bump on Crow Jarryd Lyons late in the second term.
Lindsay Thomas set the tone for North with four successive first-half goals. Picture: AFL Media
NORTH MELBOURNE 4.4 10.6 16.6 19.10 (124)
ADELAIDE 1.2 8.8 12.12 18.17 (125)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Thomas 5, Cunnington 3, Petrie 2, Ziebell 2, Gibson 2, Harvey, MacMillan, Gibson, Swallow, Black
Adelaide: Kerridge 6, Jenkins 3, Vince 2, Petrenko 2, McKernan, Douglas, Sloane, Porplyzia, Douglas
BEST
North Melbourne: Thomas, Thompson, Gibson, Ziebell, Harvey, Wells
Adelaide: Kerridge, Dangerfield, Thompson, Douglas
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Adelaide: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Sam Wright replaced Majak Daw in the third quarter
Adelaide: Jason Porplyzia replaced Sam Jacobs in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Wenn, McInerney
Official crowd: 23,033 at Etihad Stadium
