Adelaide was nearly the victim of another controversial and match-deciding umpiring decision in Showdown 59.
With only minutes remaining, Adelaide's Wayne Milera set sail on what appeared to be the game-sealing goal before it was called back by the umpires for a push by Josh Rachele on Port Adelaide's Logan Evans on the goal line - a rarely called free kick.
The Power then responded with a goal of their own to snatch the lead with 46 seconds left before Crows' Brayden Cook kicked the match winner in an instant classic between the two sides.
Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks was eager not to add more controversy on the subject of umpires during the post-match press conference when asked his thoughts on the Rachele decision alongside best-on-ground winner Sam Berry.
"Don't answer that," Nicks said with a laugh to Berry.
"What a spectacle (the game was), is really what it was. And there is things we are all going to comment on. I'm glad it finished the way it did."
One subject Nicks was more than happy to digress on was the emergence of match-winning midfielder Cook in 2026.
After yo-yoing in and out of the side early in his career, 23-year-old Cook has found his footing in the AFL this season playing all eight games and averaging 17.9 disposals. But Friday night's performance was his best yet, as he finished with 21 disposals, four clearances, one goal assist and the all-important match-winning goal on an angle, on the run, from 45m out.
Nicks said Cook had taken notable steps forward during the pre-season that have helped him grow his game.
"(Poise and finishing) that's Brayden's weapon, Brayden has had that since he arrived at the club as what we thought was a 13-year-old," he said with a laugh.
"We knew he would take a bit of time to round his game out. He has always had high end talent with ball in hand, it was a matter of getting him in the right positions and getting him to understand the contest part to it. I think we have all seen it this season especially that he has taken his game to a new level.
"His leadership in the off-season was as good as some of our actual recognised leaders. He took a young player under his wing and now he is getting reward for it and so are we, so it is so pleasing.
"To have the ball in his hands at that point, I think most of us... would be reasonably confident that he was going to finish the job."
The Crows won the game with key defender Jordon Butts (groin) and key forward Taylor Walker (Hamstring) on the bench with injuries. Both are likely to miss at least next weekend's clash with Richmond at the MCG.
