ADELAIDE has re-claimed its spot in the top eight after withstanding the challenge of a wasteful Brisbane to secure a 17-point victory in slippery conditions at Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening.

The result ended the Lions' seven-game winning streak, with the visitors left to rue kicking 1.9 from 19 inside 50s in the third term when they closed within a goal, only for the Crows to pull away to triumph 14.11 (95) to 10.18 (78) and move up to seventh on the ladder.

Izak Rankine was outstanding with 23 disposals and a team-high 16 contested possessions, three goal assists and two majors including a Goal of the Year contender.

Taylor Walker, who returned after being managed last week, booted three goals including two directly from Rankine assists in Adelaide's six-goal run either side of quarter-time.

Rankine also laid off the assist for Josh Rachele's own Goal of the Year candidate with a spectacular banana to open up a 15-point three-quarter time lead after Brisbane had dominated territory for the term.

Jordan Dawson (32 disposals), Ben Keays (28 disposals) and Rory Laird (27 disposals) were the leading ball-winners for the Crows, who had lost three of their past four games including last week's dismal 45-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

CROWS v LIONS Full match coverage and stats

Adelaide's defence was stubborn given Brisbane won the inside 50 count 66-47, with Nick Murray keeping Joe Daniher to only two last-quarter goals from eight touches. Charlie Cameron finished with four goals, despite rookie Max Michalanney keeping him to eight disposals.

The Lions' method was left wanting at times, too often kicking aimlessly long, while the Crows were happy to possess the ball, winning disposals 356-316 mainly led by 190-144 uncontested possessions.

Lachie Neale tried hard for Brisbane, with 26 disposals and a game-high 11 clearances but his influence was quelled to an extent by Keays' close watch.

The Lions dominated early, eventually converting their 13th inside 50 for their first goal with a long-range Daniel Rich bomb on his return from a calf injury.

Ex-Crow Cameron slipped a Jake Soligo tackle in the pocket for Brisbane's third, only for Adelaide to respond with two majors from Riley Thilthorpe before quarter-time. Thilthorpe's second came from a high mark, helped by a 50m penalty against Lions co-captain Harris Andrews for a gut punch on Darcy Fogarty on the goal line.

Those goals started a run of six for Adelaide, with Rankine at the heart of all his side's attacking play in the second term, including a spectacular left-foot snap running towards the boundary as they opened up a 24-point lead.

Brisbane wasn’t helped by some careless turnovers leading to Adelaide goals, but stayed within 11 points at half-time following goals from Dayne Zorko and Cameron.

The Lions dominated territory for most of the third, yet only had Hugh McCluggage's goal to show for it. Adelaide made Brisbane pay for their wastefulness, after a tense 20 goalless minutes, with Ned McHenry slotting from the goal square before Rachele threaded the needle from a tight angle.

Daniher kicked his first of the game to cut the margin to nine points early in the last, but the Crows settled the contest with the next three, with Rachele unselfishly finding Soligo, before majors from Luke Pedlar and Walker. Rankine booted a late goal to seal best afield honours.

Tight call in Neale-Keays battle
After Lachie Neale lined up alongside Jordan Dawson at the first bounce, it didn’t take long for Ben Keays to sidle up beside the 2020 Brownlow medallist to track him all game. Neale was arguably Brisbane's best player but his damage was restricted to stoppages, albeit having a big say with a game-high 11 clearances and 19 contested possessions. Neale went almost half a quarter without a touch as Adelaide pulled clear in the second, while his frustration boiled over when he gave away an off-the-ball free-kick inside 50 to Keays who couldn’t convert. Keays, though, had an impact both ways, with 28 disposals, six clearances, one goal and eight tackles.

Difficult day for Joe
It wasn't a great day for Brisbane's forwards, mustering only 10 goals from 66 inside 50s. Joe Daniher managed two goals in the last quarter, taking his season tally to 32 to be fourth in the Coleman medal race. But Daniher didn't have one disposal in the second or third quarters as Nick Murray shut him down completely. Daniher's eight disposals were his fewest since going goalless in round three against the Bulldogs, but Brisbane's long bombs inside 50 hardly helped him on a wet day. Fellow tall forward Eric Hipwood fared worse, with three touches for the game.

Top-eight implications galore
With all top-three sides playing on Sunday, Brisbane's loss saw them drop to third, with wins to Collingwood (10-1) and Port Adelaide (9-2) seeing them firm up top-two spots. The 8-3 Lions also missed the chance to open up an eight-point gap on fourth-placed Melbourne (7-4). Meanwhile, Adelaide (6-5) catapulted themselves up into seventh, sitting percentage ahead of Essendon and Fremantle, while last year's grand finalists Geelong and Sydney are 5-6 in 10th and 11th respectively ahead of the emerging Gold Coast Suns, meaning it's a wide open race for top-eight spots.

ADELAIDE     3.3    7.7    10.8   14.11 (95)
BRISBANE   3.5    5.8    6.17    10.18 (78)

GOALS
Adelaide: Walker 3, Thilthorpe 2, Pedlar 2, Rankine 2, Keays, Fogarty, McHenry, Rachele, Soligo
Brisbane: Cameron 4, Daniher 2, Rich, Rayner, Zorko, McCluggage

BEST
Adelaide: Rankine, Keays, Laird, Dawson, Murray, O'Brien
Brisbane: Neale, Cameron, Zorko, Bailey, Rayner, Rich

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Brisbane: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Adelaide: Brodie Smith (back) replaced in selected by side by Ned McHenry
Brisbane: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Patrick Parnell (replaced Josh Worrell in fourth quarter)
Brisbane: James Madden (replaced Jack Gunston in fourth quarter)

Crowd: 33,188 at Adelaide Oval