ADELAIDE have survived an almighty scare from Richmond to escape with a nine-point win and keep their top four hopes alive. 

The Crows came from 13 points down in the third quarter to triumph 9.9 (63) to 7.12 (54) at a rain-soaked Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

CROWS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats

Adelaide (56 premiership points) are fifth on the ladder, just 0.2 per cent behind fourth-placed Brisbane. Sixth-placed Melbourne are also on 56 points.

Star Crow Izak Rankine was a standout with a career-high 37 disposals, one goal and a dozen clearances, and skipper Jordan Dawson was influential with 35 touches and a goal.

Adelaide's Callum Ah Chee booted two vital goals in the third quarter, Taylor Walker also kicked two majors, and midfielder Sam Berry (24 touches) was prominent.

Richmond's Seth Campbell bagged three goals, teammate Mykelti Lefau scored two, Jack Ross (28 touches) and Patrick Retschko (24) were busy, and midseason rookie draftee Kye Annand impressed with a match-high eight marks.

The Tigers held a 2.2 to 1.3 lead at quarter-time, with Adelaide's flat opening prompting coach Matthew Nicks to give his players a serve at the break.

The Crows scored three goals to none in the initial 14 minutes of the second term to create a 12-point advantage but, as heavy rain fell to make an error-riddled contest even more challenging, the Tigers hit back.

Steely Green and Campbell booted goals to shrink their deficit to one point at halftime, 4.5 to 4.4.

Campbell's influence magnified in the third term when he slotted two more goals to give the Tigers a 13-point break and alarm the 42,762-strong pro-Adelaide crowd.

Richmond's advantage should have been greater, but stalwart Tom Lynch missed three gettable goal chances before Adelaide responded with two moments of magic.

First, prized recruit Callum Ah Chee kicked a sensational goal on the run from 55 metres in the driving rain. And 10 minutes later, the dynamic Rankine scored a classy goal from 50m out, also on the run.

Rankine's stunner was followed by another Ah Chee major as Adelaide reclaimed the lead - four points ahead at three-quarter-time. 

Adelaide veteran Taylor Walker extended the home side's lead to 10 points before the Tigers rallied again.

A Hugo Ralphsmith goal was followed by Sam Lalor missing a close-range set shot that would have put the visitors in front.

Instead, they were four points down and Adelaide's Zac Taylor sealed victory with a 50m set shot with under four minutes remaining.

Mykelti Lefau is one of the season’s best stories
Some may look at Richmond's 2026 goal kickers and scoff at a 28-year-old journeyman topping a modest list (20 goals) on a team set to finish bottom two, but when you consider Mykelti Lefau's career-best season two years removed from back-to-back ACL ruptures, it is a remarkable effort from the New Zealand-born livewire. Lefau has provided a reliable option for a Tigers side focused on development, and with Tom Lynch struggling for form through injury, the undersized small forward deserves enormous credit. In a gritty arm-wrestle, his two early goals in a courageous loss were another shining light for Adem Yze's Tigers.

Reilly O’Brien finds form at the right time 
Reilly O'Brien has played just one game under Matthew Nicks in 2026, but his performance against Richmond is sure to force the coach into a tough selection call as finals approach. The former Adelaide best and fairest winner worked tirelessly against Toby Nankervis, finishing with 11 disposals, six marks and 35 hit-outs. O'Brien has been posting enormous numbers in the SANFL while Nicks has preferred the taller and younger Lachlan McAndrew, but the out-of-favour ruckman — on the cusp of 150 games at 147 — may have found form at exactly the right time. “He’s been ready to go for the whole year," said Nicks after the game. 

Izak Rankine rising
Since round 17, Izak Rankine ranks inside the top 5 players in Champion Data's player ratings, joining the likes of Nick Daicos and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera. The prodigious midfielder — who missed Adelaide's 2025 finals campaign through suspension — broke the record for the most ranking points by an Adelaide player, registering the ninth-highest tally (231) since the rating system began. Rankine has posted four games with at least 20 disposals and a goal, with a 37-disposal, one-goal performance against Richmond the surest sign yet that Jordan Dawson has found the perfect running mate. While others struggled in the torrential rain, the slippery ball was no match for Rankine, who is primed for a monster finals series as the Crows close in on a top four spot.

ADELAIDE         1.3     4.5     7.7     9.9    (63)
RICHMOND       2.2     4.4     6.9     7.12  (54)

GOALS
Adelaide: Walker 2, Ah Chee 2, Taylor, Rankine, Dawson, Cumming, Cook
Richmond: Campbell 3, Lefau 2, Ralphsmith, Green

BEST
Adelaide: Rankine, Dawson, Walker, O'Brien, Ah Chee
Richmond: Campbell, Vlastuin, Nankervis, Lefau, Miller 

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Richmond: Nil 

Crowd: TBC