Adelaide ruined any fairytale for Brad Green with a commanding win.

MELBOURNE  3.4    5.7    8.10    11.15 (81)
ADELAIDE      5.3    10.8   20.12  22.18 (150)

Adelaide have ruined retiring Melbourne club champion Brad Green’s final match with a 69-point win over the Demons at the MCG.

Despite being challenged early Adelaide proved to be skillful and mature for their opponents, bringing bone crunching-intensity in the third quarter before putting the cue in the rack for the last quarter.

The Demons were quick out of the blocks, dominating early possession which resulted in the man of the moment Green kicking the first goal of the game. Green’s goal seemed to wake the Crows from their slumber, with Walker, Douglas and Johncock all adding goals to skip away to a two goal lead.

Melbourne to their credit responded however, with Rivers and Green temporarily restoring the lead, only for late goals to Tippett and Walker provided Adelaide with a 10-point lead to quarter time.

It was Adelaide turn to get off to a fast start in the second quarter, with Walker kicking his third goal for the game to put the margin out to 16 points. Goals to Howe and Rivers though dragged Melbourne right back in to the contest, with Green missing two easy shots in quick succession to drag the margin back further.

As so often is the case, Adelaide captilaised on Melbourne’s missed opportunities and went on to kick the final four goals of the quarter to quickly run away to a 31 point lead at the main break.

In what is known as the premiership quarter, Adelaide made it’s charge with all the conviction of a premiership contender. The Crows piled on 10 goals to the Demons three in an incredible display of football. Thompson and Walker were the catalyst as the Demons were shell shocked by the sheer brutality on display.

Dangerfield also chipped in with two goals as the visitors opened up a 74-point advantage by the three quarter time siren, leaving the lamentable Demons to ponder just how the game turned so quickly.

Whatever pondering the Demons did, an answer was found, as the Demons produced a final quarter worthy of remembrance for Green. Melbourne managed to keep Adelaide to just the two goals in the final quarter, while scoring three of their own to win the final quarter.

It was all academic though as Adelaide ran out healthy 69 point winners in their second last hit-out before September.

Leaving the field for the final time, Green was chaired off by his captains to a standing ovation from both teams and supporters as he entered in to the abyss of retirement.

The Demons will now travel to Perth where the red-hot Dockers await them while Adelaide will host Gold Coast in their final game of the home & away season.

VOTES

3) T. Walker

2) S. Thompson

1) A. Jacobs

GOALS
Adelaide: Walker 4, Callinan 4, Dangerfield 3, Tippett 3, Douglas 2, Johncock 2, Petrenko, Rielly, van Berlo, Wright
Melbourne: Green 2, Sellar 2, Rivers 2, Blease, Howe, Jones, Watts, Spencer


BEST
Adelaide:  Walker, Thompson, Jacobs, Wright, Tippett, Dangerfield, Callinan, Porplyzia, van Berlo
Melbourne: Sylvia, Bail, Jones, McKenzie, Spencer


INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Luke Brown replaced Bernie Vince during the third quarter.
Melbourne: Neville Jetta replaced Jared Rivers at three-quarter time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fleer, Leppard, Wenn

Official crowd: 18,450 at the MCG