Adelaide's hopes of back-to-back premierships are still alive following a gritty three-point win over Fremantle in humid conditions at TIO Stadium.
The narrow victory catapults Adelaide from fifth to second on the ladder, and should Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney and Brisbane lose their games this week, the Crows will retain second place.
But Erin Phillips' fitness will once again be at the forefront of the Crows' minds, with the superstar evidently hampered by her injured quad, playing deep in the forward line and barely leaving the 50 for the entire game.
Any fitness concerns from last week were immediately forgotten however, after Phillips outmanoeuvred her opponent to boot the opening goal of the game.
Although another slow start had befallen the Dockers, their intensity and persistence throughout the quarter was unrivalled.
Yet their solitary major from the quarter - the result of a 50m penalty following a high Jenna McCormick bump on Lara Filocamo - did little to reflect their ferocity around the ground.
Adelaide on the other hand flourished, with Phillips slotting another remarkable major - which took two goes after her initial attempt was smothered - and Ruth Wallace looking dangerous with her penetrating inside 50s.
Mariana Rajcic punished the Dockers for their lack of discipline in the final seconds of the quarter after Dana Hooker missed her target when giving the ball back to Rajcic who had been awarded a free kick.
The subsequent 50m penalty guaranteed a certain Adelaide goal, and extended the margin to 10 points at the end of the first term.
Again, the Dockers' slow starts proved troublesome in the second quarter, with Phillips lining up for third major in the opening 30 seconds, before dishing it off to Sarah Perkins who kicked her maiden goal of the season.
But it would turn out to be the only Adelaide major for the quarter, with Fremantle dominating the possession count and clearances.
Things soon got physical and tempers flared with the tackling pressure and ferocity evident from both sides.
Adelaide's own tackling machine Ebony Marinoff (16 tackles) was again in the wars after splitting her tongue open last week; this time receiving a nasty cut under her eye in a tackle.
Yet the shocking visual did little to deter both sides' aggression.
Ashlee Atkins narrowed the margin with a goal soon after, yet like their opposition that quarter, it would be her team's lone major.
While the Dockers certainly challenged the Crows in the term with their controlling of the ball, their inability to hit targets up forward and convert proved costly.
While fortune had certainly favoured them in the term - with Phillips not paid two marks in the goal square - Fremantle's dominance was unable to be matched and carried into the third quarter.
A seamless clearance and goal off the boot of Ebony Antonio in the opening ten seconds paved the way for a Fremantle offensive.
Hooker rectified her previous wrongdoings, kicking Fremantle's second a minute later after being on the right end of a 50m penalty and giving her side a crucial four-point lead.
It was a breakout quarter for Hooker, who ended the term with 11 contested possessions and was influential around the stoppages.
It was fast and furious footy from both sides, yet after the initial Fremantle flurry neither side were either to penetrate the others' defences.
Jessica Sedunary eventually broke the deadlock after soccering the ball through the big sticks and regaining the lead for the Crows, albeit by one point.
Adelaide needed some magic to begin the final quarter, which almost came in the form of a Phillips snap from the boundary, yet only resulted in a minor score.
By this point, Phillips was looking exceptionally slow and sore - indicative when she passed off another shot on goal to Perkins who ultimately missed.
With Fremantle pressing, the superstar gave her side a much needed reprieve despite her fitness troubles, whirling around and snapping her third early in the term.
Chelsea Randall took a courageous mark in defence to prevent what would have been a certain Docker goal as they continued their assault forward.
Yet she and her teammates could do little as Hooker pounced on an opportunity to kick her second and bring Fremantle back to within three points with four minutes remaining.
Locked in the centre, the Dockers finally surged toward goal with a minute and a half left on the lock, desperate to secure a much-deserved victory in the trying conditions.
But Randall again would be the thorn in their side, cutting off their entry and shaving valuable seconds off the clock.
Although another inside 50 soon followed, the lack of a big target up forward again proved to be their downfall, with a hopeful kick falling into the lap of Adelaide's Sarah Allen when the siren sounded.
Regardless of the results from the remaining three games, Adelaide will still be in top-two contention and will be putting their all into their upcoming encounter with Collingwood.
Fremantle meanwhile will play for pride when they verse the similarly demoralised Carlton at Fremantle Oval.
ADELAIDE 3.0 4.0 5.1 6.4 (40)
FREMANTLE 1.2 2.4 4.6 5.6 (36)
GOALS Adelaide: Phillips 3, Rajcic, Perkins, Sedunary Fremantle: Hooker 2, Filocamo, Atkins, Antonio
BEST
Adelaide: Marinoff, Phillips, Foley
Fremantle: Hooker, Antonio, Donnellan
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