Brodie Smith believes the Crows will get a big confidence boost after knocking off the second-placed West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

The Crows kicked eight unanswered goals in the first quarter to set up the convincing 57-point win. Adelaide has now won six of its past seven games, including its last three by a total of 256 points.

The Club’s previous two victories were against bottom-four teams, Essendon and the Brisbane Lions.

Smith said it was pleasing for the Crows to beat a genuine premiership contender in the Eagles.

“In the last couple of weeks, we played a couple of lower-ranked sides and, although, we played really good footy we really needed this (win) for that confidence boost,” Smith said.

“We were just awesome today.”

The Crows kicked their biggest opening quarter score – 8.3 (51) – of the season while restricting West Coast to its lowest first-quarter score – 0.1 (1) of the year.

It was Adelaide’s biggest-ever opening term against the Eagles, and highest first-quarter score since Round 22, 2011, when the Club kicked 9.4 (58) against Gold Coast.

Prior to this round, West Coast was the third-best first-quarter team in the competition, while the Crows had struggled early in games.

Smith said his team had made a fast start a major focus against the Eagles this week.

“The last couple of weeks, in particular, our first quarters haven’t been up to standard, so it was a big focus for us,” Smith said.

“If we’d played like we did last week in the first quarter, they (the Eagles) would’ve been a long way up.

“To come out firing and kick eight goals-to-nothing in the first quarter was just huge for us.”

Adelaide’s finals spot was secure prior to the clash with West Coast courtesy of Collingwood’s win over finals aspirants, Geelong, on Friday night.

The Crows will now prepare to play the Cats in the final round of the home and away season at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

Smith said Geelong’s loss to the Pies didn’t change Adelaide’s approach to Sunday’s match.

“Friday night, it was really good that Collingwood got up and we secured a finals spot but we didn’t want to take the foot off the pedal and we really want to finish off the (home and away) season well,” Smith said.

“Now, that we’ve won that game (against West Coast) we’re a chance for a home final, so we go over to Geelong next week and go again.”

Adelaide held the potent West Coast forward line to its lowest score of the season – 10.9 (69),

Young defender Kyle Hartigan kept Eagles star Jack Darling goalless. All-Australian full-back Daniel Talia held Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy to one goal, while first-year backman Jake Lever restricted resting ruckmen Nic Naitanui and Callum Sinclair to one goal-combined.

“We rely a lot on our midfielders putting pressure on and they were good today, but Hartigan, Talia, Lever and Luke Brown just keep stepping up week-in and week-out,” Smith said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of those guys today.”

Smith was also at his best against the Eagles on Sunday.

The damaging half-back flanker amassed 29 possessions – his best return since Round Two. He had 11 rebound 50ms, which was twice as many as the next-best player on the ground, and also four inside 50ms.

Smith, who was hampered by two bouts of concussion early in the season, said his form had been returning slowly over the past few weeks.

“I’m starting to get back into the rhythm now,” he said.

“I had a little bit of a drop in form midway through the year and I’m just trying to play my role.

“Today, I was able to win some footy and get some good inside 50ms, which is what I’m trying to do for the side.”

A crowd of 53,445 turned out to watch Adelaide’s last home game of the minor round.

It was the biggest non-Showdown attendance for an AFL game at Adelaide Oval.

“Our fans have been awesome all year,” Smith said.

“We keep getting big crowds and today, with 53,000-plus, they were really loud and we love their support.”