MELBOURNE penguins have stood by their bird brothers, picking the Adelaide Crows to win the Grand Final over Richmond in a fishy result.

The flightless gentoo and king penguins tipped the Crows to soar to their first premiership win since 1998, favouring flavoured fish cakes emblazoned with Adelaide's red, blue and gold colours.

After a slow start for Richmond, the Melbourne Aquarium's feathered fans – like many AFL neutrals – eventually jumped on the Tigers' bandwagon after remembering their Victorian roots.

But as the Richmond-supporting penguins scoffed down yellow and black fish in an attempt to catch up, one began to struggle and almost choked, surely a bad omen ahead of Saturday's big game.

Although far from a convincing Adelaide win, one full-stomached penguin – possibly the Norm Smith medallist – posed atop the Crows' fish dais in the aftermath while others waddled around on a lap of honour.

On the back of the South Australian victory, aquarium keepers will now name the first gentoo chick born this breeding season "Crow".