MATCH-DAY coach Mark Riley admitted his side was outclassed by Adelaide in Mount Gambier, but said there were positives to come out of the day.
"Everyone has had a hitout now, so that has been a real positive of the last week and today and we've got to have a look at guys under AFL intensity," he said.
"The Crows were just dominating us all over the place."
Riley said Melbourne would look at its over-use of handball.
"In the pre-season we have been fundamentally a kicking team ... so we are starting to get a bit more handball, and like most things we have probably over-corrected a little bit," he said.
Aaron Davey, Mark Jamar and Lynden Dunn were among the Demons' best players.
Brad Green kicked the opening goal of the match courtesy of a free kick.
This was followed by further goals to Matthew Bate and Davey as the Demons led by 18 points at quarter-time.
The Demons held the Crows goalless in the opening quarter but Adelaide reversed the trend in the second term, outscoring Melbourne with three unanswered goals.
The Crows then dominated after the long break. Forward Brett Burton kicked three of Adelaide's six goals in the third term as the Crows stepped up a notch to outscore Melbourne six goals to two for the quarter.
The Crows were relentless in the final stanza, scoring five unanswered goals, before the Demons finally managed to soccer through their only goal for the quarter in the dying seconds of the match.
Adelaide won 14.16 (100) to 6.8 (44).
The Demons were left depleted, with big man Ben Holland corking a hip in the first quarter and Matthew Warnock injuring an ankle.
Rookie Daniel Hughes was also troubled by a virus.
ADELAIDE 0.1 3.11 9.15 14.16 (100)
MELBOURNE 3.1 3.2 5.4 6.8 (44)
GOALS: Adelaide: B Burton 4 C Knights 2 M Bode 2 M Mattner S Thompson S Welsh B Hudson S Stevens J Sellar. Melbourne: B Green M Bate M Jamar C Bruce A Davey B Miller.
BEST: Adelaide: A McLeod B Burton C Knights B Hudson. Melbourne: A Davey M Jamar L Dunn R Ferguson.
CROWD: About 5,000 at South Gambier.
INJURIES: Adelaide: Nil. Melbourne: B Holland (corked hip) M Warnock (ankle) D Hughes (virus).
REPORTS: Nil.
