Richmond has fallen to Adelaide by six goals in Thursday night's clash at the Adelaide Oval.
The top quality contest played out in front of 49,743 fans, all enthralled by a high-scoring and fast-paced game.
When Dustin Martin kicked consecutive goals early in the last quarter the Tigers drew to within nine points, but from there it was all the Crows as they ran away with the 36-point strong win.
Brownlow Medallist Martin was brilliant for the Tigers, booting five goals and having 25 possessions, with 14 contested, while captain Trent Cotchin was kept under control in his 200th game.
“They just out-hunted us and out-worked us," Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said.
"It’s been a characteristic of the way we play the game, we just got beaten in the air and at ground level tonight.
“I think we had two heartbreaking (moments).
"Dave Astbury - the ball comes off the side of his boot, Tex picks it up and kicks a goal from 55 and Brandon (Ellis) kicks one out on the full … they were the momentum shifters."
The Crows had 12 players with 20 or more disposals, while Martin was the only one for the Tigers.
The ball was fizzing around as the two sides engaged in an old-fashioned shoot-out.
It was exhilarating to watch, with 20 goals in the first half and 12 of those in a second quarter that lasted 35 minutes, 27 seconds.
Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins was the most dominant player on the ground in the first half, booting four goals, and should've had five, if not for a miss from 20m out directly in front.
The Crows led by 12 points at the main break – 11.4 (70) to 9.4 (58).
Well beaten in the first half, Alex Rance started to get into the contest with a number of crucial marks in defence.
Despite being down on troops, the Crows gritted their teeth and started to grind the Tigers into the ground, kicking three goals to one in the third term to extend their lead to 22 points.
But the Tigers weren't done yet.
Martin booted his fourth and fifth goals of the game to close the gap to nine points.
The Crows' leaders stepped up.
First it was Taylor Walker, in his first game of the season, launching a monster shot at goal from outside 50m.
Then it was his vice-captain, Rory Sloane, with a brilliant set-shot from deep in the right-hand boundary that gave the Crows a bit of breathing room.
Jenkins then kicked his fifth goal to extend the lead to 25 points.
ADELAIDE 4.4 11.4 14.7 18.10 (118)
RICHMOND 4.2 9.4 10.9 12.10 (82)
GOALS
Adelaide: Jenkins 5, Walker 4, Sloane 2, Murphy 2, Fogarty 2, Gibbs, Ellis-Yolmen, Greenwood
Richmond: Martin 5, Caddy 3, Edwards, Lambert, Bolton, Townsend
BEST
Adelaide: Laird, Jenkins, Gibbs, Sloane, Jacobs, Hartigan, Ellis-Yolmen
Richmond: Martin, Caddy, Cotchin, Nankervis, Edwards, Short
INJURIES
Adelaide: M.Crouch (hamstring), Mackay (concussion)
Richmond: TBC
Reports: TBC
Umpires: Nicholls, Fleer, Mollison
Official crowd: 49,743 at the Adelaide Oval
