Adelaide's 10-goal massacre of its arch-nemesis Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium was so unexpected and complete that even the winning side's coach and captain were surprised.

The Crows entered the game having lost eight of the past nine Showdowns, and with the expectation that if they could pull off an upset, it would be by a slim margin.

Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto was stunned by the 18.16 (124) to 8.8 (56) win, in which the Crows dominated every facet of the game, comfortably won every quarter and had probably nine of the best 10 players on the ground.

"I didn't think it was going to be that easy in the end," Ricciuto said.

"But we owe them a few, so it was a good feeling."

Chuffed coach Neil Craig also labelled the size of the win "a bonus" and said it gave Adelaide's fans a taste of the direction the club was hopefully heading under his leadership.

"I think I've said quite clearly that the style of football we want to play is be highly competitive, develop towards winning finals football and to be attractive to our 40-50,000 members," Craig said.

"Today, if you like, gives a picture to the members of what the sort of footy we want to play is, that's the picture we want to keep.

"Will it be like that every week? Probably not, but that's what we're trying to aim for."

The victory was built on a Crows' midfield avalanche, with the old firm of Ricciuto, Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards and Simon Goodwin combining with a young brigade of running players to swamp the Power through the centre of the ground.

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