Adelaide rode the luck of the draw and the umpires to scramble into fourth spot on the AFL table by beating the Western Bulldogs at a sodden AAMI Stadium.

The Crows trailed for most of the first three quarters but drew level with the Dogs at the last change and kicked fortunately clear in the last to win by nine points, 10.16 (76) to 9.13 (67).

Adelaide can only be tipped out of fourth spot if St Kilda beat Essendon by enough to close a five-point percentage deficit.

The all-important first goal of the last term was awarded to winged forward Jason Porplyzia after a goalmouth scramble, but replays showed it clearly travelled through from the fist of Jason Akermanis.

Nathan van Berlo (two goals) was outstanding for Adelaide after a quiet day last week against St Kilda, and he received plenty of help from the likes of Michael Doughty, Andrew McLeod and Tyson Edwards (three goals).

Edwards' duel with Akermanis was one of the most engrossing aspects of the match, while Nathan Eagleton, Daniel Cross and Lindsay Gilbee were also prominent for the visitors.

A wave of pre-match optimism swept the stadium with the news that Port Adelaide had done a quite unreasonably generous favour for the Crows by beating North Melbourne and so opening up fourth spot.

Adelaide were given added impetus by the late withdrawal of former Crows ruckman Ben Hudson from the Bulldogs 22, his place taken by Wayde Skipper.

A pea soup of a day at West Lakes made precision football difficult, but the Bulldogs' extra touch of cleanness was rewarded with a narrow halftime break.

For periods of the second Adelaide laid siege to the Dogs' defensive 50m zone, but a series of shoddy kicks prevented them from making the inroads their territorial advantage demanded - a failing epitomised when Nick Gill's mark of the week contender was spoiled by a behind.

The rain eased in the third and there was even a spot of sunshine, but the game remained a slog as Adelaide scrapped to draw level.

Edwards' two goals evened matters up a tad in his engrossing battle with Akermanis.

Never far from the headlines, Akermanis was to again be the centre of attention when Porplyzia was credited with the pivotal first goal of the last term when the ball had in fact gone through off Akermanis' wrist.

Goal umpire Darren Trengove appeared to overrule the opinions of the boundary umpires before signalling six points.

Kurt Tippett's strong mark and goal gave Adelaide a 14-point gap, but a reply from ex-Crow Scott Welsh and then Ryan Griffen's uncanny long range torpedo - after noting the goal square was unguarded - set up a frantic conclusion.

A behind cut the margin back to a point, before Edwards' soccered finish, this time correctly judged a goal, settled the affair.

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