A SEVEN-GOAL second quarter has set up Adelaide's 70-point win over arch-rival Port Adelaide in Showdown XXVII on Sunday afternoon, with the Crows steadying after last week's shellacking at the hands of St Kilda to run out comfortable winners, 19.18 (132) to 9.8 (62).

Brett Burton, playing his second match after a year on the sidelines following a knee reconstruction, starred up forward with four goals for the Crows, who took the lead midway through the second term and never looked back in improving their record to 11-6 on the season.

For the Crows, who broke Port Adelaide's two-game Showdown streak with their 13th victory in 27 matches against their intrastate rival, Brent Reilly had 32 touches, while Andrew McLeod and Bernie Vince each had 30 possessions. Ten Adelaide players kicked goals, with six of them multiple goal-kickers.

The victory was Adelaide's eighth in its last nine games, and ensured the Crows finished the round in fifth place.

For the Power, who dropped to 8-9 on the season and 10th on the ladder, Kane Cornes had 28 possessions, while Domenic Cassisi added 25. Robbie Gray kicked three goals, all in the opening term.

Down by five goals at the main break, Port Adelaide needed to impose themselves on the contest early in the second half, and a marked increase in tackling intensity paid dividends when Kane Cornes bagged the Power's first goal since late in the first term at the nine-minute mark. Their resurgence was short-lived, however, with Burton marking and kicking truly with a set shot five minutes later to pad Adelaide's margin to 35 points. When Chris Knights booted his second of the match after a strong mark inside forward 50 at the 17-minute mark, Adelaide's lead was out to a match-high 41 points.

Jason Davenport capitalised on some terrific defensive work by Danyle Pearce to stroll into an open goal at the 18-minute mark, and when Justin Westhoff kicked truly after receiving a free 50m out late in the quarter, the Power were back to a five-goal deficit, and had some hope for the last term. Power captain Cassisi stepped up with a superb snap to make the margin 25 points, but Adelaide veteran McLeod steadied his side with less than two minutes remaining with a set shot that ensured the Crows took a 12.15 (87) to 8.5 (53) into the final change.

Looking for the knockout blow, the Crows peppered the goals early in the final term, and Vince's major at the seven-minute mark all but snuffed out Port Adelaide's hopes, extending Adelaide's lead to 43 points. Travis Boak grabbed one back for the Power, but Adelaide put the foot down late in the game, goals to Burton, Bock and a right-foot snap by Knights finding the mark as the margin blew out to over eight goals. Further goals to McLeod, Kurt Tippett and Jason Porplyzia in the dying stages were the cream on the cake for the victors, who kicked seven goals to one in the last quarter.

Earlier, Adelaide overcame a spirited start by Port Adelaide to take control of the first half, a seven-goal second term propelling the Crows to a 33-point lead at the main break.

Adelaide's 9.7 (61) to 4.4 (28) advantage at the half came after the Power managed just 0.4 in the second quarter, with two of those behinds rushed. The Crows booted 7.2 in a dominant display to turn the match on its head after the Power had the better of the opening exchanges.

With no sign of what was to come, the Power led 4.0 (24) to 2.5 (17) at quarter-time. Gray booted three impressive first-term goals for the Power, while Burton, in his second game back after missing almost a full season after a knee reconstruction, showed that he'd lost none of his leaping ability after 12 months off by taking a spectacular high mark and slotting Adelaide's first of the afternoon.

Adelaide went into the round 17 clash as named, while key Port Adelaide big man Dean Brogan was a late withdrawal for the Power; he was replaced by second-gamer Matthew Broadbent.

Adelaide             2.5    9.7   12.15    19.18 (132)
Port Adelaide    4.0    4.4    8.5        9.8 (62)

GOALS
Adelaide: Burton 4, Knights 3, Goodwin, McLeod, Tippett, Doughty 2, Dangerfield, Vince, Bock, Porplyzia
Port Adelaide: Gray 3, Pearce, K Cornes, Westhoff, Cassisi, Davenport, Boak

BEST
Adelaide: Bock, Reilly, Doughty, Vince, Goodwin, Burton, Johncock, Knights, van Berlo, McLeod
Port Adelaide: Cassisi, K Cornes, Rodan, Surjan, Gray

INJURIES
Adelaide: Otten (corked thigh), Martin (knee)
Port Adelaide: C Cornes (knee), Surjan (calf), Chaplin (bruised shin), Boak (corked thigh), Brogan (corked thigh) replaced in side by Broadbent

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Vozzo, Ryan, Avon

Official crowd: 46,859 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.

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