Kuwarna has produced a dominant 68-point win over a hapless North Melbourne in the Crows’ most dominant performance of the season.

Matthew Nicks’ side separated the game in a blistering 10-goal second term as it was party time at Adelaide Oval, setting up the 20.13 (133) to 9.11 (65) win.

It marked the Crows’ biggest score of the season and their third-straight victory in a well-rounded performance, despite the absences of star forwards Riley Thilthorpe and Taylor Walker.

WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

Izak Rankine (28 disposals, one goal), Jordan Dawson (24 disposals, one goal) and Josh Rachele (three goals) were among Kuwarna’s best in a win that could really kick the club’s season into motion after an indifferent start.

The Crows improved to 6-4 and climbed into seventh place on the ladder.

It was meanwhile a step backwards for North Melbourne in a fourth-straight defeat as the club’s horror losing streak at Adelaide Oval slid to 0-14.

The 3-2-1 (what we learned) …

3. ‘TURNING POINT’: CROWS PLAYED ‘LIKE WE HAVEN’T SEEN’ THIS YEAR… AND IT MIGHT’VE LIT A FIRE

Kuwarna claimed its fifth win from its past six matches. But it was the way Matthew Nicks’ men did it that might’ve just kickstarted the Crows’ inauspicious season.

They entered the afternoon 5-4, coming off wins against Carlton, St Kilda, Port Adelaide and Richmond, where they looked unconvincing in patches. They hadn’t looked like the explosive outfit that finished last year as minor premier.

But against the Roos on Saturday, a more comprehensive performance from a team we haven’t seen this season — fuelled by an 11-year best second quarter.

Between the 18-minute mark of the first quarter and the 11-minute mark of the third, the Crows piled on 13 unanswered goals, with their 10.4 (64) in the second term representing their highest-scoring quarter since 2015.

After their seventh major on the trot, Adelaide great Mark Ricciuto said on Fox Footy: “‘Where has this been?’, the crowd’s saying. They’ve been out of form for nine weeks, and they might’ve just clicked.”

Josh Rachele of the Crows celebrates a goal (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

At half-time, he added: “The Adelaide fans will be hoping this is the start of the turnaround for the year. They have not been in form all year. Maybe this is the turning point.

“We’ve seen moments, we’ve seen quarters, but we haven’t seen a half of footy like that.”

Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said: “I haven’t seen the Crows play like this all season … it could be a big moment in their season.”

Kuwarna had 30 loose-ball-gets to North Melbourne’s 14 in the second quarter, and 30 tackles to 14.

“Their pressure was really elite, their contest work inside – clearly everything was working in the second quarter – but they got it around their ground-ball game.

“That’s when you know the Crows are playing really well – their work rate is enormous, they get to the next ball … they went from stoppage to score. They did everything they wanted.”

And interestingly, in the second quarter, they did it by going -27 handball metres gained – with Matthew Nicks’ side continuing to go against the popularised trend of using hands in transition.

“It just shows you that you can play the game in many different ways,” Adam Simpson said on AFL Nation.

2. ‘STAGGERING’ DETAILS IN ROOS MASSACRE

North Melbourne remains winless at Adelaide Oval, dropping its 14th game from as many attempts at the venue – and it probably couldn’t have come in more disheartening fashion.

It’s hard to believe that, given the way the Kangaroos started the game on Saturday, they would succumb to an 82-point turnaround at the hands of Kuwarna by half-time.

Because the Roos were all over the Crows to begin proceedings, recording the game’s first eight inside-50s to jump out to a 16-nothing lead off the back of suffocating forward-half pressure.

“Their 2.1 have already come from front-half intercepts – and I know the game’s only just got started, but that’s the pressure that they’ve been able to bring in their forward half. They know what their strengths are,” Ken Hinkley said on Fox Footy.

The Roos kicked 3.3 of their 24 first-quarter points from turnovers – with all three majors from front-half intercepts. Things were looking up for a North Melbourne outfit

Dixon: “Especially in their front half, they’ve really just clamped Adelaide on defensive transition … so they’re spot-on in this area, giving Adelaide no room.”

Clarkson: ‘Game over at half time’ | 08:28

From that point, unfortunately, it was all downhill from Alastair Clarkson’s side, which was battered at contest – which is supposed to be its strength.

Kuwarna trounced the Kangaroos 7.3 (45) to two behinds in scores from stoppage, and Hinkley couldn’t believe the visitors continued to let their opposition outnumber at the contest.

“The Kangaroos allowed them to have the plus-one all the time at the stoppage, which was really strange, considering the way the game went,” he said at half-time.

Former Hawks sharpshooter Ben Dixon added: “That was staggering … we went in thinking (the Roos) were going to dominate this area of the game, but the scores from stoppages has just been off the charts.”

Not only did the Roos concede 10 goals in the quarter, but the top-19 ranked players on the ground were all Crows, and seven Kangaroos went the whole term without a disposal – which were 117-42 in the Crows’ favour.

Considering the Crows scored 90 points to the main break, things could have been a lot worse for the Roos, who conceded 6.7 in the second half and matched that with 6.5.

“It’s been a letdown for the Kangas, there’s no doubt about that … it’s another learning opportunity in their development as a football club. They’ve got more lessons to come, but they’ve certainly improved their game,” Hinkley said on the eve of full-time.

It was a day to forget for North Melbourne (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

1. ‘SEE IF THAT GETS LOOKED AT’: ACT AFL DOESN’T WANT TO SEE REARS HEAD

We haven’t seen one of these acts in a little while, but Kuwarna’s Luke Nankervis could be cited in the Match Review after pushing Zane Duursma into a marking contest.

The incident, which came in the first quarter on Saturday, saw Nankervis – who wasn’t contesting the mark – nudge Duursma into oncoming traffic, with the Roo copping friendly fire in the form of Cooper Trembath’s right quad.

Upon seeing a slow-motion replay, Ricciuto said: “Little bit of a push there from Nankervis.”

Dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna added: “Interested to see if that gets looked at (by the MRO), we know that’s frowned upon now, pushing a player into a contest.”

Fortunately, despite needing a few moments to gather himself, Duursma was able to play out the remainder of the game – though was out there for just 64 per cent of the match.

Still, had Duursma fallen just a tad lower, he would have been heavily collected by Trembath’s knee, and Nankervis would almost certainly be suspended.

But because he emerged unscathed, it may just be a fine that the Crows rebounder receives – or no sanction at all.

It comes after the AFL cracked down on such acts, which are now considered Rough Conduct.

The updated Tribunal guidelines read: ‘A Player may be found guilty of Rough Conduct where they forcefully push an opponent into another player, or players, from either team in circumstances

that are unreasonable.’

Re-live Crows-Roos in our live blog below!