Geelong broke a 43-year drought with a courageous and surprising eight-point triumph over Adelaide in the AFL pre-season cup final at AAMI Stadium.

The Cats, seeking their first competition win of any kind since 1963, gave the Crows a 29-point start early in the second term and trailed by 13 points at the last change.

A late supergoal by Joel Corey put the Cats in front and they held on to win 3.10.5 (92) to 1.10.15 (84).

Lacking at least six first team players, and up against an unbackable favourite, the Cats were wonderfully led by Jimmy Bartel, Corey Enright and James Kelly in the middle.

Cameron Mooney booted three final-term goals on All-Australian Ben Rutten, and Gary Ablett kicked three vital goals, including a supergoal, from limited opportunities.

The Cats also overcame the loss of key man Cameron Ling with a knee injury towards the end of the second term.

Adelaide was fuelled by the industry of Michael Tuck Medal winner Simon Goodwin and some typically flashy work by Brett Burton, as well as a serviceable three-goal game by Matthew Bode.

Young players Chris Knights and Bernie Vince did numerous good things, Vince nailing Adelaide's lone super goal of the evening.

Fireworks, basketball-style player introductions and the performance of the national anthem by a pair of child talent quest winners set the scene for the first term, which featured a certain amount of play-off nerves.

However it was the Crows who added to their intensity and polish after both sides had kicked a goal in the early sparring, a breathless series of handballs and evasions by Adelaide's midfielders, most notably Kris Massie, setting up Burton for a successful set shot.

Further goals to youngsters Knights and Vince - his after the siren following a super pass by Hentschel - gave Adelaide a handsome 22-point margin at the first change.

The Cats needed to raise their game and they belatedly did after Hentschel had snapped precisely to take the margin to 29 points.

Bartel, Enright, Kelly and Ling had plenty of the ball in the middle and a series of stoppage wins were rapidly converted into four goals between the 10th and 15th minutes as Adelaide eased off.

Kelly, Henry Playfair, Jarad Rooke and Paul Chapman all nabbed majors to cut the lead to seven points at the half.

Geelong continued its charge after the break and suddenly found itself 10 points in front due to a pair of supergoals.

Josh Hunt then Ablett streamed into open space and kicked accurately from distance into a slight breeze.

Adelaide had gone some time since offering a fluent passage of play, but the Crows promptly strung several together for a three-goal lead after six pointers to Bode, Perrie and Goodwin and a nine-pointer to Vince.

Chapman pulled one back for the Cats and a succession of errors by both sides kept the margin at 13 points as final term began.

Luke Jericho's poor night for Adelaide was epitomised when he missed an open goal in the early moments and Mooney twice outmarked Rutten to keep the Cats in touch.

Shannon Burns showed tremendous pace to do what Jericho could not, and when Corey's high kick floated through for nine points the Cats led nearing time-on.

Surprised to be trailing, Adelaide could not mount an effective counter, and Mooney's third meant the Cats could celebrate an unexpected but richly-deserved victory.

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