Reigning premier Adelaide has staged a dramatic late fightback to overcome St Kilda at Hisense Stadium on Sunday.
The Crows trailed for almost the entire game before clutch goals to debutant Caitlin Gould and second-gamer Madison Newman late in the final quarter turned the tide and delivered a 13-point victory.
Eloise Jones kicked a goal as the siren sounded as the Crows got home 6.4 (40) to 4.3 (27), bouncing back after last weekend's opening round loss to Brisbane.
The Saints were extremely close to breaking through for the expansion club's inaugural NAB AFLW victory with a much-improved performance on last weekend's first-up loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Both teams struggled to convert their opportunities early before it was the Saints who struck first blood, speedster Kate McCarthy capitalising on a Crows turnover and unleashing a burst of pace to kick the only goal in a tight first quarter.
Played opened up after the break as the game developed into an entertaining end-to-end contest with four goals shared evenly among the sides in a gripping second term, with the Saints leading by seven points at half-time.
With the game in the balance late in the final quarter, Gould took a pack mark in the goalsquare to tie the scores before fellow newcomer Newman nailed a set shot on the run to the roars of the 6433-strong crowd.
Key Crows Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard dominated the midfield, veteran Courtney Gum was influential when moved around the ball, Sarah Allan was a rock in defence and ruck Jess Foley took vital intercept marks.
Tarni White, Georgia Patrikios and Tilly Lucas-Rodd were outstanding for the Saints.
The only injury concern for the Saints was defender Clara Fitzpatrick, who was stretchered off in the last quarter after courgeously going back with the flight of the ball.
ADELAIDE 0.0 2.1 3.2 6.4 (40)
ST KILDA 1.1 3.2 4.2 4.3 (27)
GOALS
Adelaide: Considine, Biddell, Thompson, Gould, Newman, Jones
St Kilda: Greiser 2, McCarthy, Sedunary
BEST
Adelaide: Marinoff, Hatchard, Gum, Allan, J Foley, Rajcic
St Kilda: White, Patrikios, Lucas-Rodd, Exon, Vesely, Munn
INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
St Kilda: Fitzpatrick (head knock)
LATE CHANGES
Adelaide: Nil
St Kilda: Nil
Reports: Nil
Crowd: 6433 at Hisense Stadium
