ADELAIDE
5.3 10.6 14.9 18.15 (123)
ESSENDON
2.2 5.4 9.7 12.8 (80)
GOALS Adelaide: Â Jenkins 3, Â McGovern 3, Â Smith 2, Douglas 2, Walker 2, B Crouch, Â Mackay, Â Greenwood, Â Atkins, Knight, Â Lynch. Â Essendon: Â Hooker 4, Â Daniher 3, Â Stewart 2, McKenna, Watson, Â Colyer.
BEST Adelaide: M Crouch, Douglas, Atkins Smith, Lynch, Jenkins. Essendon:  McGrath, Hurley, McKenna, Goddard, Daniher, Heppell. Â
UMPIRES Pannell, Dalgleish, Williamson.
CROWD 38,487 at Etihad Stadium.
Essendon's finals hopes are hanging by a thread after the Bombers battled bravely but were no match for top-of-the-ladder Adelaide at Etihad Stadium.
Adelaide's classy ball movement and midfield dominance established an early lead, and although the Bombers surged back into the match on three occasions, they never really looked like pulling off an upset before a crowd of almost 40,000.
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Crows thrash Essendon at Etihad
With their eyes on finishing the regular season in top spot on the ladder the Crows took care of a gallant Bombers outfit that were fighting for the whole game.
This match was billed as a shootout, with Adelaide the AFL's highest scoring team and Essendon ranked third. Between them the two teams came into this match having cracked the ton 23 times this season (the Crows 13, Essendon 10). And although both teams attacked at every opportunity, the methods they employed offered a stark contrast.
Essendon looked to play on, take risks and move the ball quickly, with their goals coming in spurts due to some moments of individual brilliance from their key forwards. Adelaide's considered and precise ball use, coupled with kicking efficiency, was evident from the outset, and the spread of goalkicking options made the Crows hard to stop. Adelaide's first three goals came from chains of disposals initiated in their defensive half.
Their fourth goal was the result of Essendon's poor ball use, after Andrew McGrath attempted to switch play across the face of goal, only to flub the kick, paving the way for Brodie Smith to pounce.
By quarter-time, with the Crows out to a 19-point lead, the signs were ominous.
On this occasion it was Joe Daniher who did his best to turn the tide, kicking the opening three goals of the second quarter; the first from a contested mark, the second from a free-kick earned in a marking contest and the third when he cleverly stayed down while the pack flew, allowing him to soccer from close range.
His 10-minute burst  put the Bombers one point up, their first lead of the match. But it also seemed to trigger an inner resolve among the Crows' players.
Adelaide responded with a five-goal surge  to take a 32-point lead to half-time. The catalyst was its clearance work combined with relentless forward pressure.
Essendon coach John Worsfold opted not to start the match with a hard tag on Crows playmaker Rory Sloane. Bombers captain Dyson Heppell went to Sloane at the opening bounce, while David Zaharakis and David Myers also went to him at times around the stoppages. While Sloane was influential, it was Matt Crouch who was most damaging at the centre bounces and  under the packs.
Once the Crows got the ball into their forward half they did an impressive job of keeping it in there. While the likes on McGrath, Michael Hurley and Conor McKenna did an admirable show of actually defending, they had a hell of a job clearing the area.
Time and again the Dons would get the ball to half-back or slightly beyond, only for a turnover to result in the ball coming back the other way to their direct opponents.
By midway through the third term the Crows had jumped to a 44-point lead, and again the contest looked over. But again the Bombers responded, this time through their other key forward, Cale Hooker, Largely unsighted in the opening half, Hooker came to life and dragged the Bombers with him.Â
He kicked three of Essendon's four goals during a 10-minute resurgence, all of them from long range, the best a 55-metre bomb on the run from close to the boundary.
The Bombers drew to within 19 points nearing three quarter-time, only for a couple of late Adelaide goals to again restore a comfortable buffer. Early goals to Hooker and James Stewart reduced the margin to 21 points and again fanned the hopes of Bombers fans, but any last hope of pinching victory was extinguished minutes later.
Midway through the final term Ben Howlett pinned the arms of Crows defender Luke Brown, with the ball spilling into the hands of Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who ran in and kicked what would have been a team-lifting goal.
Unfortunately for the Dons, Howlett continued on with the tackle, which was deemed dangerous play, and the Crows were then able to sweep the ball to the end of the ground for Hugh Greenwood to take a set shot.
The Crows finished the game strongly, kicking the last three goals. They did what they had to, what good teams do. They did enough.
Adelaide had even contributions from its midfielders, its key-position players, and could even afford a quiet game from its gamebreaker, Eddie Betts (seven disposals and no goals).
Essendon's best players were in its back half, where most of play unfolded. It had too little from too few and too spasmodically.