A rampant Adelaide have produced their highest-scoring quarter in almost 11 years in a 68-point belting of a hapless North Melbourne.
The Crows booted 10 goals to none in the second quarter of their 20.13 (133) to 9.11 (65) victory at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Adelaide’s second-stanza tally of 10.4 (64) is the club’s best return in a quarter since Round 20, 2015. Only six times have the Crows scored more in any term in their history.
The Crows move to six wins and four losses this season, picking up 13 percentage points in their blitz of the lacklustre Roos, who slip to four wins and six losses.
Adelaide, despite the absence of injured star forwards Riley Thilthorpe and Taylor Walker, booted 13 consecutive goals to turn a three-point deficit 19 minutes into the first quarter into a 72-point break early in the third term.
Eight Crows finished with multiple goals: Josh Rachele kicked three, and Jake Soligo, Luke Nankervis, Lachlan McAndrew, Ben Keays, Toby Murray and James Peatling slotted two each.
Izak Rankine (28 disposals, one goal), triple club champion Rory Laird (25 disposals), his fellow defender Josh Worrell (24) and captain Jordan Dawson (24, one goal) were also dominant.
North, after leading 16-0 and having the initial eight inside-50s of the game, folded meekly — seven Roos didn’t touch the football in their grim second quarter.
Veteran Luke Parker topped ball-winners for the visitors with 28 disposals, followed by Harry Sheezel (24) and Luke Davies-Uniacke (22), while Paul Curtis (three goals) was the Kangas’ only multiple scorer.
North’s alarming fadeout came after a bright opening — they scored the initial two goals and trailed by just four points at quarter-time.
But Alastair Clarkson’s team were completely overwhelmed in the second term.
At one stage in that quarter, the Crows’ pressure rating was 294 — a rating of more than 185 is considered high pressure.
“That’s off the charts,” club great Mark Ricciuto said in commentary.
Adelaide’s onslaught created a 66-point half-time advantage, 14.6 to 3.6.
“This is the bad North Melbourne that no one wanted to see,” former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said.
The home side added another four goals to two in the third term for an 81-point lead at the final change.
North’s Curtis booted two majors in the last term as the visitors belatedly won the quarter, scoring four goals to two.
