This was a three-fold celebration.
A party for retiring Crows great Taylor Walker, for the win that prevented a wildcard playoff and for the Western Bulldogs doing Adelaide a massive favour.
The atmosphere was buoyant from more than an hour before the bounce when Crows fans streamed through the gates for the festivities acknowledging all-time leading goalkicker “Tex”.
Adding to the joyous mood was the knowledge that even the narrowest win would guarantee a week off for Adelaide and a far simpler path to a grand final.
The Dogs upstaged Melbourne at the MCG earlier in the evening, meaning the Crows were playing for a top-six spot.
Not only that, but a chance to be on the same side of the draw as a suddenly undermanned Sydney, if the embattled Swans lost the qualifying final.
Rather than having a pressure-packed wildcard game in which Matthew Nicks would be coaching for his job, the Crows booked what could be a very valuable week off.
It is an extra break for 36-year-old Walker, the sore Callum Ah Chee, the injured James Peatling and every Adelaide player battling niggles or needing a breather.
The Crows will also take much-needed momentum into the major round after indifferent form of two losses, drubbing cellar-dweller Essendon and an ugly win over second-last Richmond.
Adelaide embraced the celebratory occasion like it did when it opened the inaugural Gather Round against Carlton in 2023.
It booted 8.2 to 2.3 in a 56-point win that night and 9.2 to 1.4 this time.
The Crows had kicked eight goals in a quarter in only three other matches this season.
Adelaide’s opening five majors were from the star of the moment and the toast of the night.
It went Izak Rankine, Tex, Rankine, Tex and Tex.
They finished with 10 goals between them.
Criticised for much of the season, the Crows’ ball movement was more adventurous.
Last week Adelaide played risk-averse and boring down the line so often coming out of defence against Fremantle.
The Crows tried more inboard passes, sharp changes of direction and handing off to runners on Saturday night, which worked early and late.
It came unstuck at times during the second term, as the Giants clawed a 45-point quarter-time margin to 21 by the long break and Adelaide’s intensity dropped, leaving the door ajar.
But if the Crows are going to go deep into September, they cannot play safe.
Their total of 157 was their highest of the season.
Rankine is in a patch so purple Barney the Dinosaur will be blushing.
Adelaide lacked matchwinners in last season’s finals with Rankine suspended and Josh Rachele returning from injury.
The team will take extra confidence knowing Rankine (35 disposals, 12 clearances, four goals) is playing like a previous Crows No. 23.
Adelaide Oval’s sellout crowd of 52,332 started a Mexican wave – or a Tex-he-can wave – once the Crows secured passage to what the AFL considered the second week of the finals and nerves were eased.
Nerves and major-round inexperience suffocated the Crows last September.
After playing with the handbrake off against the 12th-placed Giants, can Adelaide do it again under finals heat?
Saturday night was a party, but the Crows were only ever going to be judged on their major-round performances.