Melbourne proved they belong in a tier above Adelaide on Thursday night, taking the home side's best punch in the first half before pushing away for a comfortable win.
Adelaide kicked a couple of goals to narrow the margin in the fourth term, but the sting was out of the game as the Dees cruised to a 78-63 victory.
The Crows slump to 0-4, having failed on the big stage three weeks in a row. Having just re-signed coach Matthew Nicks, questions now need to be asked as 2024 quietly slips away.
The Demons however have put off-field drama to the side and set themselves up for another top four pursuit.
See our grades for every player at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday night below!
Adelaide
Jake Soligo - A
Provided a point of difference through the midfield all night. Had a very good night.
Brodie Smith - A-
Almost nobody wanted to take the game on and break lines for Adelaide tonight, but Brodie Smith did his best. He's their only dangerous half back right now.
Rory Laird - A-
Your typical Rory Laird performance. Kicked a nice goal in the third term and worked hard all night.
Mark Keane - B+
Had an enormous first half coming off his best career game last week. The Crows have found a key defender worth persisting with here.
Max Michalanney - B+
Kept Bayley Fritsch incredibly quiet in the first half. Wore him like a glove. Fritsch kicked three in the third term, but only one was directly the fault of the young Crow. Some poor ball-use costing him an A.
Izak Rankine - B
Moments of brilliance. Adelaide needs to use him on-ball more to break up a vanilla group.
Jordan Dawson - B
Was grilled in the media all week and came out with his best quarter of footy for the year to start the game. Faded in and out from there, but took on some tough kicks when the Crows looked otherwise stagnant. Still not the player that made the All-Australian tam last year.
Matt Crouch - B
You know what you're going to get from Matt Crouch week in, week out. He's going to win a lot of the ball around stoppage, but he's not going to hurt you with it by foot. And tonight was no different.
Chayce Jones - B-
Taylor Walker - B-
Had a really good third quarter, taking two big marks inside 50. Still looks like he's working his way to full fitness from that back injury. Isn't covering the game as well as last year.
Mitchell Hinge - C+
Epitomises the Adelaide backline. Not quite a good enough user of the footy to punish you, but still bites off some tough kicks for mixed results.
Luke Nankervis - C+
Darcy Fogarty - C+
Worked very hard. Ran hard up and back for little reward. Kicked a great goal in the third term off a contested mark.
Reilly O'Brien - C+
Started alright and matched Gawn for a bit, but was no match for the All-Australian ruckman by the end of the game.
Brayden Cook - C+
Ben Keays - C
Probably needs to go back to being a forward with a tagging responsibility because he's been a bit invisible.
Ned McHenry - C
Looks lively and dangerous when he gets the footy, but needs to get more involved, more often.
Jordon Butts - C-
Patrick Parnell - C-
Hurt his shoulder in the fourth term. A quiet night.
Josh Rachele - C-
Playing a high half forward role to cover ground defensively. It's limited his impact. Feels like a strong role for such a dynamic player.
Josh Worrell - D
Rough night for the young defender. Made a lot of blues.
Chris Burgess - D
Very quiet night. Subbed out in the third term.
Sam Berry - N/A
Subbed on halfway through the third term.
Melbourne
Christian Petracca - A+
The best player on the ground. In every way, shape and form. Three Brownlow votes on the way. 29 touches, 10 score involvements, 8 clearances and a goal.
Judd McVee - A
Arguably best on ground in the first half. McVee always makes the right decisions by foot. It'll be fascinating to see where he ends up playing his best footy, whether it's off half back or in the midfield.
Steven May - A
For a guy with damaged ribs, Steven May was awesome. Set the tone early in the first quarter with his intercept marking.
Max Gawn - A-
In great form to start the season, Max. Wasn't a special performance, but he is still comfortably the best ruckman in the game.
Jake Lever - B+
Kade Chandler - B
Score involvements, big tackles when it matters most - Kade Chandler is the type of player hardcore fans love to support.
Tom Sparrow - B
Had a huge diving smother in the second quarter when the game was alive that directly led to a Petracca goal.
Jacob van Rooyen - B-
Two goals and five score involvements isn't bad for a key forward who isn't winning much of the ball. Tick.
Alex Neal-Bullen - B-
Bayley Fritsch - B-
Literally unsighted and beaten by Michalanney... with the exception of 15 minutes in the third quarter where he bobbed up and kicked three goals. Job done!
Ed Langdon - C+
Kysaiah Pickett - C+
Wasn't involved particularly often and hasn't taken the leap many would have hoped in 2024, but still had an impact when the ball came to him. In MRO hot water again.
Tom McDonald - C+
Jack Viney - C+
A classic Viney performance was never truly needed tonight. Never felt like he got out of second gear.
Trent Rivers - C+
Caleb Windsor - C+
Windsor is incredibly exciting and the Dees are in a great place to get games into him while still contending.
Clayton Oliver - C
A very quiet evening for the superstar midfielder. Potentially worried by that hand injury.
Christian Salem - C
The Salem midfield experiment has been ditched... but he's also not having much of an impact at half back. One of the few Dees at a crossroads right now.
Harrison Petty - C
Kicked an early goal, but was quiet after that.
Blake Howes - D
Jack Billings - D
As Kane Cornes pointed out on the AFL Nation broadcast, spots in this Melbourne team are going to be hotly contested, and Billings needs to be tougher around the ball and take his opportunities in front of goal.
Ben Brown - F
Didn't touch the footy for a half. Subbed out late.
Taj Woewodin - N/A
Subbed on with 10 minutes left.