Adelaide will attempt to swallow their frustrations after a one-point loss to Gold Coast that finished in controversy when Izak Rankine was denied a potential match-winning moment.
The Suns prevailed 13.13 (91) to 14.6 (90) at home on Saturday, with former Sun Rankine controversially denied a mark in the pocket with 90 seconds to play.
Two free kicks to the Suns followed before they again repelled the surging Crows, with Mac Andrew and five-goal Crows star Riley Thilthorpe in a heated exchange after the final siren.
Taylor Walker also booted four goals for the Crows, who hadn't lost a quarter in their three wins prior to Saturday.
But, ahead of Thursday's Gather Round opener against Geelong, the Crows' bubble was burst as the Suns won their first three games of the season for just the second time in club history.
"If he didn't mark it, he was tackled in the marking contest," coach Matthew Nicks said of the match-defining Rankine decision.
"Clearly, we weren't at our best today, but I thought we did really well to hang in ... we've given ourselves a chance and you need every bit of luck in that moment.
"That last minute and a half we clearly didn't get things going our way.
"So I sit here as a coach and say, 'What do I preach to the players?'.
"I preach about being in the moment, don't blame others, get on with life, you've got to butter up and go again next week, so I'm doing my best to stay in that space.
"I'd say we've got some frustrated fans out there and I feel for them and I'm a little bit with them."
Suns coach Damien Hardwick deflected the issue.
"We're not going to go through every free kick, are we?" he said.
"There's a few that could have gone either way. Swings and roundabouts.
"It's a tough game to umpire."
The Suns started hot in a see-sawing contest, twice edging 18 points clear before the Crows surged in the second half.
Rankine (21 disposals, 10 clearances) was everywhere for the visitors while recruit Daniel Rioli (26 touches, 630 metres gained) played his best game for the Suns.
Jordan Dawson had 31 disposals for the Crows while James Peatling (24) did well to restrict the influence of in-form Suns star Matt Rowell (17 touches).
Jed Walter kicked three goals for the Suns while fellow talls Ben King, Ben Long and Will Graham had two each.
"It was a high contest game … high pressure, that's a big boys game of footy," Hardwick said.
Rowell (four clearances) was relatively well held but still found a way to impact, wobbling a left-footed kick to Bailey Humphrey, who kicked straight and help get the Suns within one point at halftime.
Gold Coast looked to have killed off the Crows when they kicked three goals clear for the second time.
But a rare John Noble unforced error in the centre of the ground led to Walker kicking his 650th AFL goal from the turnover.
Thilthorpe then out-wrestled Sam Collins and kicked his fourth goal to make it a six-point margin, setting the stage for a chaotic finish as the Crows threatened to snatch victory.
