Adelaide just produced a second quarter that will make the rest of the competition sit up and take notice.
After winning the minor premiership last season, the Crows have struggled to get back to their best in 2026. And after a slow start against North Melbourne on Saturday, their problems appeared again.
However, a 10-goal to none second term - the club's highest scoring quarter since 2015 - saw Adelaide break its shackles and move the ball with speed and precision as it tore through a frozen and shellshocked North Melbourne side.
The Crows were in full flight, and more importantly their attack was finally working in perfect synchronicity with the midfield. Matthew Nicks' men turned a two-point quarter time lead into a 90-24 bashing by halftime, which finished as a 68-point win.
Adelaide's brilliant performance poses the uncomfortable question to Nicks: Do the Crows need to shorten their attack?
With a clean bill of health, Adelaide will always have tall forwards Taylor Walker, Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty in the side. But after Walker and Thilthorpe were left out of the side with injuries for Saturday's match, the Crows attack immediately looked more lethal and cutthroat.
Adelaide had 11 goal scorers and eight multiple goal scorers - an equal club record - as they killed the Roos in a number of ways.
Thilthorpe is a star of the competition, albeit out of form, and will stroll straight back into the side when he recovers from back soreness.
But what do the Crows do with 36-year-old Walker when he soon returns from a hamstring injury? He is undoubtedly a great of the football club and still playing good football. But is it hurting Adelaide's offence to have these three tall pillars all in attack?
Speaking after the game, Nicks said the club will be open with what the best version of the Crows will look like.
"There's a balance now about what is our best 23?" Nicks said post-match.
"We will continue to look at that. It's a long season. You play different 'oppo' every week so it changes what you want to go in with. What do they have behind the ball? What do they have in the midfield? What's their strengths and are there any areas you can expose?
"I've got no doubt with Thilthorpe and Tex Walker in that forward line, hopefully, we get a similar result if we are moving (the ball) in like that."
On Saturday, Crows fans were treated to the efforts of smalls Josh Rachele (three goals), Ben Keays (two), Luke Nankervis (two), Izak Rankine (one) and Jake Soligo (two) scurrying around the forward line causing havoc.
Should Nicks keep this fleet-footed Adelaide attack going for the Crows as they look to rebound up the ladder? Or will he back in his tall timber down in attack?
It's a decision that will not only shape the finals race, but Nicks' future as a coach as well.
