AFL round six Adelaide Crows vs Essendon Bombers live updates ...

But that will come as a surprise to nobody.

Merrett has 20 touches to half-time, six clearances, 294 metres gained and three score involvements through the first half.

Adelaide are within a goal on the scoreboard, but around the ground they are being soundly beaten.

It looked as if Essendon were about to kick away to a lead their dominance deserved midway through that term, only for a sequence of errors and some Jordan Dawson brilliance to life the Crows and pull the margin right back.

We said it at quarter-time and it remains true now - if the current numbers and trends remain the same throughout, Adelaide can't win. The good news is the Crows haven't played well but are still well in this game. If they can tidy a few things up, or if Essendon's red hot pressure dies down, things could yet change in this game.

Absolutely sensational play from the All Australian! He has had a massive five minutes to turn this game around.

Dawson took the intercept mark about 65m out from his own goal, but with Sam Durham not paying attention on the mark was able to run to 55 and unleash. That left boot of his is unbelievable, and the crowd told the story as it sailed through for a third straight Crows goal.

It's back to three points. Somehow.

And somehow it's back to a nine-point game.

Jayden Laverde went for a kick back across his goals, which Jones read before it had even left the boot. Jones streamed through, intercepted and ran into an open goal.

Two big Essendon mistakes flip the game on its head.

How badly the Crows needed that from the skipper.

Dawson won the free kick at the centre bounce after the Stringer goal, and was awarded a 50m penalty when Sam Draper dropped the ball on the ground instead of giving it back. An easy goal for Dawson and Adelaide.

It's far from the prettiest game we'll see this season. Some of the skills have been really poor, and the dropped marks and fumbles have been alarming. It's a scrap, and it's one the Bombers are comfortably winning.

Another forward 50 stoppage was scrapped forward by Essendon to Stringer, who easily got out of a tackle and snapped from 30m out to goal.

The Bombers' grip on this game has not loosened, and finally they are starting to stretch the lead out just a little bit.

Hobbs won the free kick after sticking a fantastic tackle on Will Hamill, but the drop punt from a long way out was terrific.

Essendon lead the inside 50s 23-10, and that's only telling part of the story. Adelaide hanging on a bit right now.

Nearly a carbon copy of the opening goal of the first quarter, with the Bombers finding an option from a squaring kick in the pocket.

Parish took the mark this time and slotted the set shot from directly in front.

To my eye it seemed like Essendon were much the better team in that quarter, and an inside 50 count of 16-6 in their favour kinda backs that up.

But to Adelaide's credit, the defence held up. And more than that, they were able to generate really good looks at goal from limited entries.

It's probably not sustainable for four quarters, but the Crows are starting to work their way into the contest around the ground and have found some footing at stoppages too.

Just moments after the Bombers looked to be in on goal, only for a series of Todd Goldstein fumbles to halt the progress, Walker is is sizing them up from the centre square.

The 50 was wide open, and Tex only needed a step to bomb that one through. Huge kick, huge goal.

Jordan Dawson really should have cut off that move with an intercept mark at the top of the 50, but once he spilled that it was anyone's ball.

Davey was involved and dished off a smart handball to Gresham, who settled on his right boot to snap truly.

Against the run of play, and certainly not pretty, but a goal all the same for Adelaide. Rachele chucked it on his boot from a forward-50 stoppage, shanking it no more than 20 metres ahead and straight onto the chest of the open Keays.

The goal is converted, and Adelaide are feeling pretty happy with how things sit right now, considering the overall balance of play.

The Crows are struggling to get their hands on the footy, and when they do it's all still a bit fumbly.

The Bombers are controlling things and are well set up around the ground, slowing Adelaide down every time they try to spring forward. Only saving grace for the Crows is that the Bombers haven't managed to put that dominance on the board yet.

Bombers have started brightly, and the second inside 50 of the game brings about the first goal.

Jye Caldwell's kick from the boundary line to the top of the square was clever, and Jones was able to mark all alone 15 metres from goal.

The Crows fans have hope again, and that should be enough to make for an electric atmosphere tonight.

All is in readiness, Friday night footy is underway.

Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks has been speaking to ABC Sport before play tonight, and was quizzed about Matthew Crouch's suspension in light of the tribunal's decision to overturn Charlie Cameron's similar incident due to his previously clean record.

Here's what Nicks had to say:

"I'm very mindful what language I use when we talk through this because it's a really interesting area.

"I think I used the word 'confused' in a presser this week, that's probably where I've got to leave it. I'm still working my way through, as we are as a footy club, what the rules are and how they're going to adjudicate that."

Casting a glance at Adelaide's lineup tonight, my eye was immediately drawn to their half-forward line. As named, it reads:

Jake Soligo - Izak Rankine - Josh Rachele

Now, Rankine is obviously not going to play as a CHF tonight. And in fact all three of those guys will hopefully be spending plenty of time running through midfield tonight.

Even in the lean weaks, Soligo was a real bright spot with his agility and creativity through midfield. And there are few more creative players in the league than Rankine and Rachele, who saw their midfield minutes rise against Carlton last week.

They are the sparks for the Crows, and they will be required to light up Adelaide Oval tonight.

Nic Martin will tonight play his 50th game for Essendon, as a quite unlikely and remarkable career continues.

Martin was snapped up by the Bombers on the eve of the 2022 season in the supplemental selection period, debuting only a few weeks later in round one. He missed the following game due to a run in with COVID, but has played every match since.

And to think, Martin spent most of that offseason training with West Coast in the hope of filling a spot with his home-town club. The Eagles said no, the Bombers said yes and tonight will get to celebrate that decision.

Elijah Tsatas has been recalled for this one, replacing the injured Jye Menzie tonight. Most Bombers fans will be pretty happy to see Tsatas back in the 23, though they will be hoping not to see him until much later tonight.

Lachie Sholl is Adelaide's sub.