The year 1997 marked the entry of a second South Australian club, Port Adelaide. The Crows finished fourth to qualify for its first finals series since 1993, and hosted fifth-placed West Coast in the First Elimination Final.
In the first final ever to be played at Football Park, the Crows won 14.15 (99) to 9.12 (66). The next week, Adelaide benefited from the finals system in use at the time and hosted the higher ranked Geelong.
The Crows won narrowly in a controversial match, where a clear forward 50 mark to Geelong's Leigh Colbert during a critical stage of the third quarter was not awarded by field umpire Grant Vernon.
Final scores: Adelaide 11.10 (76) to Geelong 9.14 (68).
1997 Preliminary Final against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG.
Despite losing Coleman Medallist Tony Modra, who had kicked 84 goals for the season, the Crows kicked four unanswered goals in the last quarter.
Darren Jarman kicked a goal to put the Crows in front with less than two minutes remaining, to record a two-point victory.
This allowed the Crows to qualify for their first AFL Grand Final, to be played against St Kilda at the MCG a week later, on 27 September.