<P> The 2015 season started successfully for the Adelaide Football Club with a 77 - point win over reigning preliminary finalists North Melbourne . Newly appointed coach Phil Walsh oversaw a rapidly improving team that became known for their skilled ball use and ability to grind out wins . During the season, Adelaide was cleared of any wrongdoing by the AFL in the Eddie Betts affair, which became newsworthy following an allegation that Betts's transfer to the Crows from Carlton had been illegally signed and approved as much as 18 months prior to his move . </P> <P> On 3 July, two days prior to Adelaide's then - scheduled round 14 match against Geelong, coach Phil Walsh was the victim of murder by his son and died from multiple stab wounds at the age of 55 . The tragedy was followed by an outpouring of sympathy and tributes from the club's fans and the wider AFL community . The match against the Cats was cancelled, with both teams receiving two premiership points each . Adelaide's SANFL team's match against South Adelaide, scheduled for the next day, was postponed until later in the season . On 6 July, assistant coach Scott Camporeale was appointed interim coach for the remainder of the season, while West Coast premiership coach John Worsfold was hired as coaching director to support Camporeale . Inspiringly, the team rebounded to win six of their next seven games and qualify for the 2015 finals series, where they defeated the Western Bulldogs by seven points in a thrilling elimination final at the MCG . Their season ended when they lost to eventual premiers Hawthorn the next week . </P> <P> Star midfielder for many years Patrick Dangerfield left the club at the end of the 2015 season (a season in which he won the club's best and fairest) and Don Pyke, a former premiership player and assistant coach with West Coast who had also been an assistant coach at Adelaide from 2005 to 2006, was appointed Adelaide's senior coach for at least three years . Adelaide was widely tipped to slide out of the finals in 2016 but the Crows proved to be one of the successes of the season, comfortably qualifying for a home elimination final and defeating North Melbourne by 62 points, before being eliminated the next week by eventual beaten grand finalists, Sydney in the semi-finals . The club had a dominant 2017 season, winning their opening six games and never falling below second place for the entire season . Adelaide claimed their second McClelland Trophy as minor premiers . The Adelaide Crows entered the 2017 finals series as favourites for the premiership; they defeated Greater Western Sydney and Geelong by 36 and 61 points respectively to qualify for the Grand Final, their first since 1998, where they faced Richmond . Despite starting as favourites, the Crows lost the match by 48 points . </P> <P> Adelaide currently has three guernsey designs which are used in different matches throughout the season . </P>

When did adelaide crows last play in grand final