Essendon has produced a withering fourth-quarter performance to stun Adelaide by 12 points on Friday night and ensure the pre-season hype at Tullamarine will continue.
The Bombers had lost four straight matches to the Crows by an average of 76 points, but kicked six of the last seven goals to snatch a 14.15 (99) to 12.15 (87) triumph at Etihad Stadium.
They trailed by 20 points at the seven-minute mark of the final term, only for a Cale Hooker mark and goal inside the contest's last four minutes to put Essendon in front.
Hooker, the unheralded James Stewart and Joe Daniher all had their moments as the Bombers proved a tall forward line can still be potent in the modern game.
Stewart kicked three majors and his handball to Josh Begley produced the sealing goal.
David Zaharakis and Dyson Heppell each had 35 disposals for Essendon, while Matt Crouch (41) and Rory Laird (40) won plenty of the ball for the reigning Grand Finalist.
The Bombers' triumph was even more meritorious given it lost Zach Merrett to concussion before quarter-time.
Crow Richard Douglas flattened the All Australian midfielder with a heavy bump that put Douglas in the umpires' book.
It was Merrett's second concussion inside a month after copping a stray elbow from premiership Tiger Kamdyn McIntosh in the clubs' opening JLT Community Series match.
Merrett only moments earlier caught Douglas holding the ball, sparking a heated face-off between the pair at the opposite end of the ground.
More to come
ESSENDON 4.2 5.8 8.10 14.15 (99)
ADELAIDE 3.5 4.9 11.12 12.15 (87)
GOALS
Essendon: Hooker 3, Stewart 3, Daniher 2, Green 2, McGrath, Bellchambers, Goddard, Begley
Adelaide: Jenkins 2, Gibbs 2, Fogarty 2, Hampton, McGovern, Murphy, Douglas, Greenwood, Ellis-Yolmen
BEST
Essendon: Heppell, Zaharakis, Hurley, Goddard, D.Smith, McDonald-Tipungwuti
Adelaide: Laird, Gibbs, M.Crouch, Sloane, Doedee, Seedsman
INJURIES
Essendon: Merrett (concussion)
Adelaide: Sam Gibson (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Hugh Greenwood, Hampton (hamstring)
Reports: Richard Douglas (Adelaide) reported for rough conduct on Zach Merrett (Essendon)
Umpires: O'Gorman, Chamberlain, Pannell
Official crowd: 43,016 at Etihad Stadium
