Adelaide have emphatically broken their MCG drought, mauling Essendon by 61 points to show more signs of an AFL resurgence.
The Crows’ 25.11 (161) to 15.10 (100) cakewalk on Saturday is their first win at the venue since 2017, when they lost the grand final to Richmond.
That season was also the last time Adelaide made the top eight.
After also scoring freely and easily beating an injury-depleted St Kilda at home last week to start their season, Essendon at the MCG loomed as a much tougher proposition for Adelaide.
But the Crows took control early in the first term and dominated as the Bombers lacked pressure and intent for much of the mismatch.
Trailing by 40 points at halftime, Essendon kicked the first two goals of the third term to show some fight.
But Adelaide then steamrolled them with seven of the next nine goals and had the game wrapped up by 57 points at the last change.
It was the first time these two teams had played at the MCG since 1995, and Adelaide’s first win over the Bombers at the venue.
Adelaide’s next opponents are North Melbourne, who have never won at Adelaide Oval, and the Crows are a hot chance to go 3-0 for the first time since 2017.
Captain Jordan Dawson led superbly and was best afield with 33 possessions, while Ben Keays kicked four goals in front of 46,688 fans.
Dawson’s counterpart Zach Merrett kicked four goals and racked up a game-high 36 disposals on a dirty day for Essendon in ideal conditions.
Adelaide star Izak Rankine was subbed out of the game late in the third term, not long after he had kicked a stunning goal on the run from the boundary line.
In round 11 last year, Rankine was sprinting down the same wing, in the other direction, when he suffered a hamstring injury in a narrow loss to Collingwood.
Young gun Sid Draper was brought into the game for Rankine, but had to leave the field early in the final quarter with a foot problem.
After a few minutes, Draper returned and played out the game.