Adelaide has pulled off a thrilling and important two-point comeback win against Melbourne at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night, getting home 14.6 (90) to 12.16 (88) after trailing by 31 points in the third quarter.
Adelaide kicked eight of the game's last nine goals to maintain its top-eight spot.
Late Melbourne inclusion Sam Weideman had the chance to be the Demons' hero when he plucked a pack grab in the final minute, but steered his set shot to the left and time soon expired.
Weideman wasn't Melbourne's sole culprit in front of goal in the final half an hour, with Max Gawn missing from just inside 50 only minutes earlier.
The Crows, who lost co-captain Rory Sloane (hamstring) early in the second term, hit the front for the first time all night when Brad Crouch slotted his third major 24 minutes into the last quarter.
It was fitting Crouch was that man, given it was his finish on the run 11 minutes into the third term that provided the impetus for his team's second-half fightback.
He added 29 disposals (13 contested), seven clearances and five tackles to help offset the absence of his brother Matt, while Tom Lynch's return game was excellent with 26 touches, 13 marks and three majors.
That pair were prominent from the get-go – along with running defender Rory Laird (31 possessions) – but Adelaide roared into contention once they found more allies.
Hugh Greenwood kept Melbourne ball-winner Clayton Oliver to just two disposals in the third quarter, when the Crows kicked four goals to two to slash the difference to 16 at the last break.
Oliver had 23 to half-time and finished with 34, but that quiet patch proved decisive as the Demons' slick ball movement from the first two quarters dried up.
They led by 25 points at that stage, which quickly became a game-high 31 when Mitch Hannan goaled from close range after an Angus Brayshaw tackle won his side a free kick.
The match turned in an instant, starting with Crouch's second goal.
Taylor Walker produced a magnificent 50m set-shot strike soon after, then an impressive Lynch major helped ensure the contest would go down to the wire.
Earlier, the Demons enjoyed their highest-scoring first term of the season – 6.3 (39) – to take a deserved 15-point edge into quarter-time.
But Melbourne wobbled when it mattered most and watched as the more efficient Crows made them pay on the scoreboard.
MELBOURNE 6.3 9.4 11.8 12.16 (88)
ADELAIDE 4.0 5.3 9.4 14.6 (90)
GOALS
Melbourne: Garlett 3, Hannan, Hunt, Weideman, Smith, Petracca, Jones, Brayshaw, Harmes, Oliver
Adelaide: B.Crouch 3, Lynch 3, Jenkins 2, Betts 2, Gallucci, Walker, Murphy, Ellis-Yolmen
BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Harmes, Brayshaw, Oliver, Hibberd, Petracca
Adelaide: Lynch, B. Crouch, Laird, Greenwood, Ellis-Yolmen, Atkins
INJURIES
Melbourne: Christian Salem (illness) replaced in selected side by Sam Weideman, Marty Hore (calf soreness) replaced in selected side by Jay Kennedy Harris
Adelaide: Rory Sloane (hamstring), Kyle Hartigan (team balance) replaced in selected side by David Mackay
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, O'Gorman, Mitchell
Official crowd: 10,634 at TIO Stadium
