AFL round 13: Matt Turner analyses Adelaide’s five-point win over Brisbane Lions

It’s official — Adelaide is a contender again. Matt Turner delves into the Crows’ win over Brisbane Lions, hailing it the club’s best in almost eight years.

Adelaide’s 90-point away win over Sydney last week was lauded by some as Matthew Nicks’s best win as coach.

Friday night’s home victory against Brisbane definitely trumped it.

Facing the reigning premier in a second-versus-third battle in prime time in difficult conditions at home, the improved Crows answered one of their last remaining question marks.

Could they beat the best sides?

The answer is yes.

They did so after trailing by 21 points 16 minutes into the second quarter.

Then again by 16 points at three-quarter time.

And with almost every key statistic (+19 in clearances, +13 in inside 50s, +13 in contested possessions, +74 in disposals and +5 in scoring shots) in the Lions’ favour.

It was not just Nicks’s best win as coach but the club’s most significant victory since the 2017 preliminary final.

One of Nicks’s favourite sayings over his six years at the helm has been “we’re up for the fight”.

But this was a different sort of fight to what his club – a non-finalist since 2017 – had been used to: a heavyweight battle against the champs when you were the up-and-comer who had little experience on the main card.

Jordan Dawson celebrates his last-quarter goal.

Josh Rachele laps up the win after playing a starring role.

It was a huge test of Adelaide’s credentials this year: were the Crows a feel-good story or a serious team?

And they passed it with colours that flew as one.

Nicks conceded there was a touch of good fortune about the win, but he believes it was nothing less than his team deserved from the footy gods after years of bad luck in tight games.

“There’s no doubt they had their opportunities, I think they kicked eight points and had maybe the last 12 or 13 inside 50s, and we’re on the ropes and they’re swinging haymakers at us,” Nicks said.

“And they just couldn’t quite finish us off.

Jordan Dawson goal vs Brisbane

“We would have responded if they’d kicked a goal. Sometimes it’s hard when you’re under that sort of pressure, and they’re they just having a crack at you, they’re going green, they’re kicking points, so the ball stays in their end, they’re taking risks, but I’m so proud of the group.

“They just held on and you get lucky because you deserve it.

“The footy gods work in funny ways ... we haven’t had any luck in the last three or four years. Things have gone against us, things that you just couldn’t believe would.

“And we’ve talked the whole time and said, ‘It’s OK, eventually we’ll get some go our way, and tonight we’ve got a little bit of luck to win that game.”

Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon also praised Adelaide’s ability to be up for the fight.

“We talked about their ability to match it with top-four or top-eight sides and they’re five goals to one down, your mind can go one of two ways,” he said after the Crows’ early deficit.

“It’s ‘here we go again’ or dig in and fight – and they’ve dug in.”

The first fightback followed a boxing glove sign being held up in front of the Crows’ bench.

Fittingly, it was the Adelaide player who used to have the Rocky theme played after goals, Josh Rachele, who sparked it, kicking a brilliant goal from the boundary.

But Brisbane punched back to separate itself again by the last break, throwing another challenge to the Crows.

This Adelaide team answered it unlike recent seasons.

A blistering start with three goals in six minutes to take the lead, showcasing the Crows’ league-leading offence.

Then its underrated defence held firm, restricting Brisbane to 0.8 despite an avalanche of Lions inside 50s.

Adelaide had the No. 1 ranked defence since Gather Round entering the match and stood tall again.

Rachele goal vs Brisbane

“When it was on the line at three-quarter time, the response was everything you needed to see and then they hang on for dear life,” Lyon said.

“It’s an extraordinary last quarter and a massive victory.”

The Crows moved to a 2-4 record against top-eight sides this season.

Friday night looked like it would go the same way as the defeats to Gold Coast (one point), Geelong (19) and Collingwood (10) — being right in the match and having its chances, but getting outplayed.

Not this time.

Adelaide had plenty of heroes, none more so than ex-Lion Ben Keays, who was enormous all night.