CHRISTIAN Petracca looks to have gone to a new level with arguably his best performance in a Melbourne guernsey.
The exciting Demon played heavy minutes in the midfield and racked up 38 disposals and three goals in a 15.13 (103) to 10.10 (70) win over Adelaide.
A huge grab in the third quarter might have been followed with a sub-par finish in front of goals in previous years, but the 24-year old was composed and focused right throughout the game.
Kysaiah Pickett left his imprint on the game with a beautiful banana in traffic for his first goal in a Melbourne guernsey.
Not long after, he gathered the ball again and made Adelaide big man Elliott Himmelberg look a little foolish as he stepped around him, but Pickett sprayed the shot.
Wayne Milera was the cleanest operator for the Crows, rarely missing a target with his 29 disposals.
Ex-skipper Nathan Jones had a magnificent day off half-back with three goals, but limped off in the third quarter with a leg injury.
New recruit Mitch Brown was busy up forward early for Melbourne, with two first-quarter goals.
Brown had uncapped Crows defender Jordon Butts in all sorts early and should have had three early goals, but uncharacteristically missed a shot from 25 metres out in the first quarter.
Adelaide's forward line had a new look, as Ben Davis showed plenty of promising signs with two first-half goals.
Crows rookie Patrick Wilson adjusted with the blustery conditions and nailed a beautiful set shot from 50 metres.
Adelaide's Chayce Jones (16 disposals) and Tyson Stengle (nine disposals) showed glimpses with a goal each.
Ed Langdon (19 disposals and a goal) looked right at home for the Demons, while fellow new recruit Adam Tomlinson was a solid with 16 disposals.
Jake Lever showed his former club what they were missing with three huge intercept marks in the first quarter, but tapered off as the game went along.
Luke Jackson found the going tough in his first game in the red and blue, winding up with just five disposals and four hitouts.
The No.3 pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft started the game at full-forward and rolled through as the back-up ruck to Sam Weideman.
NEW FACES
Melbourne: Langdon was the best of the new crop for Melbourne off a wing, while Tomlinson ran hard all day. Brown's start was excellent and after a quiet patch, he snared a third goal late.
Adelaide: Ben Crocker kicked two goals and exposed Neville Jetta for pace at times. Ned McHenry and Ben Keays spent the first half on the bench, but Keays found a bit of the ball once he got on the park.
FANTASY WATCH
James Harmes (MID $698,000) spent more time on the wing and across half-back to cater for Petracca's move to the midfield. As a result, he finished with 61 AFL Fantasy points from 13 disposals.
Wayne Milera (DEF/MID $570,000) was a standout for the Crows and looks very comfortable as a rebounding defender. Although it was only 89 AFL Fantasy points, he might be a nice point of difference.
NEXT UP
Adelaide kicks off a Friday evening double-header hosting the Suns at the Flinders University Stadium at 4.50pm AEDT, while the Demons will head to the University of Tasmania Stadium to face the Hawks at 7.40pm AEDT.
MELBOURNE 3.6 5.7 11.10 15.13 (103)
ADELAIDE 2.0 7.4 9.7 10.10 (70)
GOALS
Melbourne: T.McDonald, Brown, Jones, Petracca 3, Pickett, Langdon, Sparrow
Adelaide: Crocker, Davis 2, Stengle, Murphy, Wilson, Himmelberg, Jones, B.Crouch
BEST
Melbourne: Petracca, Oliver,, Viney, Jones, Langdon, Weideman
Adelaide: Milera, B.Crouch, Atkins, M.Crouch, R. O'Brien, Gibbs
INJURIES
Melbourne: Jones (leg)
Adelaide: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Wallace, Haussen, Hosking, Fleer
Official crowd: 3095 at Casey Fields
