WHEN Patrick Dangerfield and Marc Murphy smashed into each other at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, countless Blues fans would have thought Murphy had done their side a huge favour.
Dangerfield was dominating the game and Carlton was simply unable to curb his massive influence.
Murphy drove his shoulder into Dangerfield's ribcage as both players dove at a loose ball, yet, unbelievably, the 22-year-old Crow got up and continued to show why he's arguably the most exciting prospect in the competition.
Murphy, on the other hand, was subbed out of the game with scans on Monday to determine the severity of his shoulder/AC joint injury.
Adelaide midfielder Bernie Vince described his teammate as a "bull".
"The contest with Murphy yesterday was - I wasn't far from it - unbelievable," Vince said on Monday.
"He actually left himself pretty open, 'Danger' ... Murphy actually protected himself pretty well and for him to come off second best, I wouldn't have liked to have been in the middle of that.
"That was a pretty tough contest and for him to get up and just to continue on, he's like a bull.
"He's amazing."
Dangerfield was the talk of the football world after his 35 disposal, two goal performance in Adelaide's stunning 69-point win.
With his contract expiring at the end of the year, his current form would only increase the desire of opposition clubs to sign the star at any cost.
Vince admitted Dangerfield's form might have added an extra zero to his contract for 2013, but said he was confident the Crows would retain his services.
"The only downside about [his performance] is keeping him here now," Vince joked.
"[But] he loves it here - I'm sure he'll stay."
Vince said Dangerfield had relished his inclusion in the Crows' leadership group this year and that his now trademark ferocity at the ball made him one of the toughest players in the AFL.
"In all areas at the moment he's just been great. His toughness and his attack on the ball - I reckon he's almost the best in the competition at the moment," he said.
"Hopefully the way he plays, some of the young guys coming through and even us guys can take something out of the way he goes about it.
"He's really leading from the front, he's the full package at the moment."
Vince added Dangerfield was also a much smarter footballer this season.
"I think he lost a few kilos, because he's just a naturally really big guy, really strong sot of kid," he said.
"His running in the pre-season was fantastic, he was right up there with VB (Nathan van Berlo).
"Apart from that ... he's just running a lot smarter now, he's getting to a lot more contests rather than running around chasing the ball like a dog.
"He's thinking about his footy a little bit more."
Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
