Adelaide's latest folk hero Brayden Cook is responsible for a season "momentum changer", his coach says.
Cook entered the annals of Showdown history with a match-winning goal in the Crows' dramatic one-point escape over Port Adelaide.
The wingman's shot on the run from 45 metres sailed through with about a dozen seconds remaining, sealing victory in the closest clash of the arch foes.
"That's Brayden's weapon," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said of Cook's scorching right foot.
"Brayden has had that since he arrived at the club as a what we thought was a 13-year-old, but knew he'd take a little bit of time to round his game out."
The age jibe was a reference to Cook, a project player when selected with pick 25 at the 2020 draft.
Cook has played just 38 AFL games but is in the midst of a breakout season on the wing.
"He's always had a high-end talent with the ball in his hand," Nicks said.
"It was a matter of getting him in the right positions and getting him to understand the contest part to it.
"We have all seen it this season especially that he's taking his game to a new level ... to have the ball in his hands at that point, I think most of us would be reasonably confident that he's going to finish."
The Crows, with their 11.10 (76) to 11.9 (75) triumph at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, square their win-loss ledger at four-all.
"The boys will take a lot of confidence out of that," Nicks said.
"You talk about moments to this point in the season - it has been a bit of a grind for us.
"But I think this one was a bit of a momentum changer ... our guys would take a lot of belief and a lot of momentum out of this win, a really important one."
The Crows meet lowly Richmond at the MCG next Sunday with doubt over book-ends Taylor Walker and Jordon Butts.
Full-forward Walker strained a hamstring and full-back Butts hurt a groin - both didn't complete the game against Port.
