Adelaide's Riley Thilthorpe is already a matchwinner eight games into his AFL career, leaving coach Matthew Nicks excited by what is to come for the Crows' emerging star.
The No.2 pick in last year's draft showed why he was rated so highly by recruiters with a heroic last quarter effort to propel the Crows to a memorable victory over St Kilda on Saturday night.
Adelaide overturned a 36-point deficit, after failing to score until midway through the second quarter, and Thilthorpe was at the centre of the action.
Still just 18 years old, the 200cm forward put the Crows in front for the first time in the game with a minute left by booting a stunning goal over his own head.
It was Thilthorpe's second major of the last quarter - and third for the match - after earning a controversial free kick 10 minutes earlier.
With 16 goals already in his career, Thilthorpe is likely to prove a handful for opposition defenders for the next decade.
"He's got great football intelligence. When it comes to his preparation, he's one of the best. He's always trying to get better," Nicks said.
"There's reasons why he was drafted so early and we're lucky to have him in our group.
"He's going to keep getting better. The part we love about Riley is he knows he's got so much more improvement in him."
Adelaide, last year's wooden spooners, go into the bye at 5-8 with a winnable game against Carlton to come in round 15.
The Crows can now add a rousing comeback win to giant upsets over premiership contenders Geelong and Melbourne this season.
