ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig has warned Crows fans of the "scary" times ahead as he seeks to develop a young squad that is still learning how to play consistent top-level football.

Craig's team went down to the Western Bulldogs by 30 points at Etihad Stadium on Friday night after leading by 22 points at quarter-time.

It was Adelaide's fifth straight loss, leaving the Crows at 3-9 after 12 games.

After a positive start to the match, the Crows dropped away sharply in the second quarter, conceding the first 11 clearances as the Bulldogs fought their way back.

Craig, in his eighth year at the helm, admitted his playing group was "a long way" from being a finals contender, selling the message of an exciting team on the rebuild.

"It's an inexperienced team that I think is showing some really good signs," he said post-match.

"It's a different group of players to what we've had in my time here.

"It's an exciting challenge to build this team, but it'll be scary for our supporters for a period of time."

The coach said inexperience is impeding his team's ability to string together four good quarters of football.

"We've got half our side, 11 out of the 22, have played less than 32 games," Craig said.

"It's not an excuse, but you've got to understand what those guys are going through when they're out there trying to play high-intensity AFL footy.

"Their capacity to sustain the effort, to sustain the execution is not there yet."

Rather than dwelling on the negatives of the performance, Craig stressed how pleased he was with the first quarter, in which Adelaide booted six goals to the Bulldogs' two.

"The positive for me is that I saw in the first quarter some really high level football," he said.

"So that means this group can do it.

"The thing that's under question, yeah they can do it, but let's see it for a full game.

"That's what we've got to push towards, and that's why we've got to keep strong with them, keep pushing them really hard: because it will come.

"I've seen it."

Rory Sloane was the Crows' only injury concern, sustaining a cork during the second quarter.

The midfielder played out the match and is expected to be fit to face Geelong at Skilled Stadium next week.

"It was good for Rory to push through that," Craig said.

"It's good experience, and I thought he did a pretty good job."