Adelaide have heaped misery on Sydney, pulling off a hard-earned 16-point win in a wet-weather scrap at the SCG after Swans superstar Isaac Heeney suffered a concerning injury scare.
With the scores level at 10.8 (68) apiece in the fourth quarter, a desperate Luke Nankervis launched the Crows ahead en route to a 13.9 (87) to 10.11 (71) victory on Friday night.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Isaac Heeney suffers back spasm
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Adelaide stamped their premiership credentials while dealing a blow to fellow flag fancies Sydney, condemning the second-placed Swans (13-5) to their first defeat at the SCG this season.
Last year’s minor premiers, the Crows (12-6) can finish the round as high as third after claiming a third straight win.
Darcy Fogarty kicked four goals for Adelaide, but the star forward is sure to draw scrutiny after his high tackle on Harry Cunningham in the second quarter left his Swans opponent concussed.
Izak Rankine played a crucial role in the Adelaide engine room with one goal, 30 disposals and eight clearances.
He was well supported by James Peatling, while Mark Keane and Nankervis stood firm in defence.
Sydney have now lost their past three matches against top-six sides, following dismal defeats to Brisbane and Fremantle.
They remain second (13-5), with a four-point buffer against Adelaide.
Heeney shook off a lower-back issue to lead the home side with 29 disposals and four clearances.
But the midfield superstar had sent a scare through the Swans camp in the third quarter, hobbling off sore after a contest for the ball with Crows forward Riley Thilthorpe.
He spent close to 10 minutes on the bench at the end of the third quarter as medical staff worked on his back.
Speaking to Channel 7 after the game, Heeney said he wasn’t sure what was wrong.
“(It’s) sore. I don’t even know what was going on there, might’ve been a back spasm or something,” he said.
Asked if he would be fit for next week, Heeney said: I’m assuming so. I’ve never had a back spam, so I’ve got no idea. But yeah, frustrating.”
Dale Thomas said back spasms can be nasty.
“You bend down and all of a sudden you’re in a world of hurt,” he said after the game.
“You think you might be better, and the next couple of days are going to be absolute hell. He’ll be getting rolled out of bed tomorrow.”
Abbey Holmes added: “He genuinely couldn’t stand up straight on the bench.”
Tom Papley also bagged four goals in his second game back from a calf injury, while Braeden Campbell kicked a major in his first AFL game of the year after a pre-season shin stress fracture.
Sydney started brightly with the first two goals, but it was all Adelaide in the opening term.
With 32 uncontested marks to Sydney’s seven, the Crows punished the home side from turnovers to slam through five unanswered goals and take a 21-point lead at quarter-time.
Swans superstar Chad Warner got on the back of Nankervis to bring down a brilliant mark, only to cough up possession with a shoddy kick to Adelaide defender Keane.
Warner made amends after the break by hitting the scoreboard, before livewire Papley fired off back-to-back goals to help Sydney eat into Adelaide’s game-high 27-point lead.
With eight points the difference at halftime, midfielder James Rowbottom mimicked Papley with two straight goals to give Sydney a six-point lead at the final break.
But it was Fogarty’s turn to bag a double to kick off the final quarter, setting up a tense finish at the SCG
