It took Adelaide just one near-perfect quarter to squeeze the life out of its match against the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome and rise to the top of the AFL ladder.

Returning Adelaide skipper Mark Ricciuto and high-flyer Brett Burton kicked three goals each in a 9.2 to 1.1 opening term, which set up a regulation 18.8 (116) to 9.6 (60) win.

Thereafter, the match was far more competitive and the football much scrappier than the clinical exhibition put on by the Crows in the opening term, but the result was never in doubt.

For the 'Roos, it was their third thrashing in five losses this season, keeping them in the lower reaches of the ladder, with their dismal home crowd figure of 16,064 adding to their gloom, along with two injuries.

First-gamer Ben Schwarze was taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs and lung damage, courtesy of a third-quarter clash with Crows ruckman Rhett Biglands, while Daniel Pratt sustained a groin injury.

Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley said the difference in the match came down to Adelaide's ability to repeatedly win the ball in the opening term.

"We just couldn't get our hands on the ball in the first quarter. They were just exceptional in that area, 60 to nearly 100 possessions," Laidley said.

"There was probably a role reversal in the second quarter, but at the end of the day it's nine goals the margin and that's pretty much the first quarter."

Adelaide continually sped the ball from the midfield, with Simon Goodwin in superb touch and Tyson Edwards and Scott Thompson providing good support.

Kangaroos' fullback Jonathan Hay was unable to match Ricciuto for pace on the lead, with Ricciuto's three goals in the first 17 minutes all coming from uncontested marks.

And Burton was too classy for opponent Chad Gibson, taking several strong, contested marks close to goal.

Ricciuto finished the match with five goals and Burton four, with Laidley admitting the pair were difficult match-ups, given their marking ability, combined with pace and ground level skills.

Adelaide's scoring rate highlighted its versatility in attack, with its top two goal-kickers from last season, Ian Perrie and Scott Welsh, out injured.

Coach Neil Craig said the Crows had focussed on improving scoring efficiency this season, to better capitalise on their renowned midfield strength.

"I think we have a better structure and a better understanding of midfield-to-forward-50 than what we had last year," Craig said.

"Today we saw some forward line entries that we want to see which will enable us to kick a bigger score."

The Crows were also missing key defenders Nathan Bassett and Nathan Bock, although that barely mattered given their midfield control.

The Kangaroos upped their intensity in the middle in the second quarter, with pacy Daniel Wells providing great drive and in-and-under midfielder Daniel Harris winning plenty of the ball.

But after the 'Roos cut the margin to less than five goals midway through the term, the Crows were able to slow the game down with chip-kicking, keepings-off tactics for several minutes.

It proved effective in checking the 'Roos scoring burst, and the Crows unleashed another three-goal burst of their own early in the second half to regain a seven-goal lead and kill the contest.

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