Adelaide's department of youth ran Fremantle ragged and decorated veteran Andrew McLeod finished them off in the Crows' 17-point pre-season cup beating of the Dockers at AAMI Stadium on Sunday night.

Both sides were thrown off somewhat by a tricky first half breeze, but Adelaide slipped through the gears in the second to eventually win 1.14.10 (104) to 1.12.6 (87), the margin as great as 42 points before the Dockers flattered themselves with the last four goals.

Showing the sort of attacking menace usually associated with Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, McLeod clearly warmed to his roving forward commission, setting up as many as seven goals while also converting three of his own.

Further up the ground Jason Porplyzia, Brent Reilly and Scott Thompson were among a fleet of Crows runners that never slackened, while Scott Stevens and Graham Johncock mopped up nicely in defence.

Dockers captain Matthew Pavlich (two goals) offered his usual threat up forward, but support was inconsistent.

Kicking with a two to three goal breeze in the first term, the Dockers began with a good deal more system than the home side, Jeff Farmer and Pavlich prominent in several well directed attacks that brought goals.

Simon Goodwin's precision set shot from a pocket was Adelaide's only ray of light for most of the term, but a fortunate Ken McGregor free that became a 50m penalty gave them a nine-pointer and limited the margin to 12 points.

McGregor's kick took on added significance in the second as the Crows wrested control with the help of the breeze.

Another transgression by the Dockers gave Tyson Edwards 50m and a shot from the scare he duly converted, and when youngster James Sellar converted expertly from a difficult angle the Crows took a 10 point advantage into the half.

They managed to maintain it in the third, an effort that would prove ultimately pivotal to the result.

A trio of Dockers goals within seven minutes of the re-start had suggested the term would go the way of the first two, but the running power of the youthful home side was wearing the visitors down.

Up forward McLeod was a constant danger, adding to a growing assists tally by setting up McGregor and Edwards, and by three quarter-time the Dockers were looking decidedly weary.

They were to be run completely off their feet in the last, as more McLeod brilliance and a flurry of goals from midfield gave the Crows a win more convincing than the final margin suggested.

Adelaide will now host Hawthorn in a cup semi-final next Saturday night while Friday night's semi features St Kilda and Essendon.

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