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Carlton caretaker coach David Teague boasts a 5-2 record after the Blues' 27-point upset win over slumping Adelaide, who are out of the AFL top eight.

David Teague's AFL training wheels are gone and the wheels are falling off Adelaide's season.

The Carlton caretaker coach boasts an outstanding 5-2 record after co-captain Patrick Cripps ran amuck on Saturday at the MCG and the Blues upset the spluttering Crows by 27 points.

The 13.9 (87) to 9.6 (60) result means Adelaide have lost four of their last five games and are in danger of dropping out of the top eight with the finals looming.

The resurgent Blues have also won three in a row for the first time since 2016.

Adding to the joy at Carlton, their rise from the foot of the ladder makes the speculative Liam Stocker trade with Adelaide at last year's national draft a lot better for them.

The closer they finish to the Crows on the ladder, the better the trade becomes.

But more immediately, Teague's star is shining brightly since taking over from Brendon Bolton.

Earlier this month Carlton board member Chris Judd sparked headlines when he said they did not want a senior coach with training wheels.

While this is Teague's first AFL senior coaching assignment, in cycling terms he looks like a solid Tour de France rider.

"Apparently I didn't have them (training wheels). Look, like I said, it didn't faze me," Teague said.

"Chris (has) a role in the media, my job is to coach, I love to coach and I'm going to continue to coach to my best."

Teague added he is happy to wait until the end of the season to formally interview for the senior role.

"I'm very comfortable with the position that the club is in, they'll make the right decision when it comes around," he said.

Teague heaped praise on Cripps, who is guaranteed three more Brownlow Medal votes with his imposing game.

The midfield bull racked up 39 possessions - 24 of them contested - 19 clearances and kicked a goal.

Adelaide as a team only had 29 clearances.

Appropriately, with the game still in the balance at the start of the last quarter, Cripps waltzed away with the ball from the first centre bounce and that set up Josh Deluca's goal in the opening 30 seconds.

"He brought his strengths today - we wanted him to go inside and win the ball and he did that," Teague said.

"What we want him to do is play a role and he's been doing that for us. He's a super leader."

Defenders Liam Jones and Kade Simpson and ruck-forward Levi Casboult, who kicked three goals, also starred in the win.

By contrast, the heat will intensify at West Lakes after the Crows made a big selection statement by dropping star forward Eddie Betts to the SANFL.

"Hopefully he's gone back and played the way he's capable of playing, he's done the things that we needed him to look at," coach Don Pyke said.

"I'd expect that based on today's performance, there might be a few guys who are in line for selection."