SUMMARY

THE BUDDING rivals begin their finals campaigns on different trajectories even after sharing top spot on the ladder for the last 15 rounds of the season.

Collingwood was the early pacesetter as it pulled out to a 14-2 record and was well down the path toward a top-two finish, leading the ladder by as much as two-and-a-half wins at one stage. But a late-season slump with five defeats from its last seven matches allowed a red-hot Adelaide to claim the minor premiership with nine straight victories to end its season, including a rousing triumph over the Magpies. 

The Crows return to finals for the first time since 2017 after a season where they have broken down barriers including snapping an 11-match winless streak against the Magpies. Despite that lopsided record over more than eight years, recent history has shown that the sides are more evenly matched with their past six clashes decided by a combined 25 points.

Izak Rankine's suspension for directing a homophobic slur at a Magpies player during their round 23 clash will continue to hurt the Crows especially with Josh Rachele not quite ready to return from injury. Max Michalanney has recovered from a hamstring strain to bolster the Crows' defence as it tackles a Magpies attack set to include Brody Mihocek and Beau McCreery after the duo made the most of the pre-finals bye to shake off injury concerns.

Where and when: Adelaide Oval, Thursday September 4, 7.10pm ACST

Adelaide v Collingwood at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm ACST  

NO LATE CHANGES

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Brodie Smith
Collingwood: Roan Steele

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TEAM NEWS

Collingwood has confirmed the axing of Dan McStay, with Mason Cox recalled for just his ninth game this season and youngster Wil Parker also included.

McStay has made way alongside the injured Jeremy Howe, while there is again no room for Bobby Hill (personal), although forward Beau McCreery (foot) is fit to play.

The Crows have recalled young defender Max Michalanney and forward Luke Pedlar, who have both recovered from hamstring injuries, while Sid Draper and Billy Dowling have been omitted.

WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR?

Round 23: Adelaide 9.5 (59) d Collingwood 8.8 (56) at Adelaide Oval

Adelaide overcame a sluggish start to snap a 10-match losing streak against Collingwood with a three-point victory at Adelaide Oval. The Magpies burst out of the blocks to take a 25-point lead into the first break before the Crows surged back with five goals to none in the second term. It was an arm wrestle from the main break as both sides only booted three more goals despite the Magpies dominating the territory with 71-37 inside 50s for the game. Nick Daicos booted a monster goal in the dying stages to give the Pies a sniff before the Crows held on in a contentious finish. 

Round 10: Collingwood 11.12 (78) d Adelaide 10.8 (68) at the MCG

Collingwood was flying with seven wins in its past eight matches when Adelaide arrived at the MCG hoping to make a statement and shatter a seven-year horror streak. The two sides could not be separated by more than 10 points until the Magpies broke the game open with four straight goals either side of the last change while Billy Frampton clamped down on Riley Thilthorpe throughout. The Crows made one last surge after Darcy Fogarty booted his fourth goal and captain Jordan Dawson added another before the Magpies' defence held firm in the dying stages. 

THE STATS THAT MATTER

Adelaide

The Crows' formidable forward group helped the minor premier become the second-highest scoring team among the finalists. Riley Thilthorpe is the centrepiece of the attack with his 22 contested marks inside 50 the equal second-most in the competition as he gives the Crows a clear focal point to target. But the Crows found it harder to pinpoint Thilthorpe or their other forwards across the last four rounds, as they ranked 17th for marks inside 50, in a strength they will want to rediscover against the Pies.

Collingwood

If defence truly does win premierships, then the Magpies are well-placed to go all the way as they enter the finals with the fewest points conceded among all sides. The Pies are comfortable grinding out their victories as they are involved in the lowest-scoring matches (157.3 points per game), and perhaps most crucially concede the fewest points (34.9) in the League from opposition intercepts. Much of the Magpies' success is built of their defensive effort and intensity as they win the vast majority (78.3 per cent) of matches when on top for pressure factor.

IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR ...

Adelaide
Jordan Dawson was rewarded for another fine season with a second All-Australian blazer but will be carrying a heavier load as he leads the Crows into their first finals campaign in eight years. The former Sydney defender has become a line-breaking midfielder since joining Adelaide four years ago, but has done most of his damage further forward this year with a career-high 6.4 inside 50s at the same time as a career-low average of one rebound a game. But after the Crows were pinned in their back half for long periods the last time they faced the Magpies, Dawson and his sublime left boot could be critical to helping the defence launch their transitions this week. The Crows captain likes facing the Pies too, as he has averaged 28.8 disposals and 7.8 tackles in the past five matches against them. 

Collingwood
The Magpies need Darcy Moore to return to form after an indifferent end to the home-and-away season as his side now risks being exposed for a lack of defensive depth. The injured Jeremy Howe will be a huge loss as the Pies come up against the Crows' multi-pronged attack, with Moore the obvious replacement to play a similar role at least when he is backing himself and flying for intercept marks. But the Magpies captain at times looked low on confidence during the run home as he too often made mistakes when under pressure in the back half. Billy Frampton did a job on Riley Thilthorpe when keeping the key forward goalless earlier in the year and Brayden Maynard is well-suited to minding Darcy Fogarty, but even if Moore lines up on Taylor Walker the Magpies will want their skipper to also help turn defence into attack.

PREDICTION

Adelaide is stepping into the unknown with more than half its side to play in a first finals campaign while Collingwood has often fielded the oldest – and one of the most experienced – sides in history this year. The Crows will miss the suspended Izak Rankine but should still have enough firepower, while the Magpies have their own concerns in the forward half after struggling to put big scores on the board during the run home. Little has separated the two sides in their past six clashes but with a hostile crowd sure to turn Adelaide Oval into a cauldron the home support and greater variety in attack should be enough to fire the Crows over the line. Adelaide by 11 points.

YOU DON'T have to play at your best all year, just in September when it matters most. And Collingwood, now through to a preliminary final, is proof of that.

After losing five of their last seven games to dip out on a top-two spot, the Magpies delivered on the big stage in a high-pressure, pulsating qualifying final against an equally gallant Adelaide – in enemy territory, no less – to come away with a 24-point win to get another step closer to the mythical 17th premiership.

CROWS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

Only a straight kick separated the two sides at the main break as the pressure cooker reached boiling point, finally exploding as Collingwood rammed home seven consecutive goals either side of half-time to eventually run out an 11.13 (79) to 8.7 (55) winner.

Adelaide never bowed out despite the Magpies' constant heat, throwing everything at their opponents in a spirited close to the game with three of the last four goals, but they now have their finals ambitions hanging precariously with either Greater Western Sydney or Hawthorn to come in next week's do-or-die semi-final.

While veterans Jamie Elliott (four goals) and Steele Sidebottom (three) were pivotal in their side's third-quarter scoring alongside the midfield work of Jordan De Goey (26 disposals, six clearances), it was Darcy Moore who pieced together a true captain's game in defence which served as the backbone of Collingwood's triumph.

Moore reeled in 13 intercepts and nine intercept marks – Collingwood had 12 of those in the opening term – while opposite 300-gamer Taylor Walker, cutting off the Crows' forward threats on multiple occasions and opening the door for his side to counter, swarm on its opponents at the contest and gradually ramp up the heat on the persistent home side.

The high-pressure contest and chaotic movement enhanced Collingwood's surging style early in the contest; Nick Daicos adding impeccable polish to the mayhem of the first 10 minutes with a deft goal to fire his side off to an early lead in an attempt to silence the passionate home crowd.

Milestone man Walker turned the crowd's chorus of boos into a cavalcade of cheers with his side's first major of the game after 15 minutes of play, and again steadied the ship in the second quarter to kick off his side's own run of goals to counter the Collingwood charge.

Spurred on by their former skipper, the Crows upped the ante as majors to the returning Luke Pedlar and Riley Thilthorpe thrust them out to their first double-digit lead of the match prior to half-time, and while finishing each quarter strongly to never fully allow the Magpies a chance to relax, weren't able to overcome the black-and-white army's resolute backline.

It afforded enough time for the Magpies to respond offensively, first through the seasoned Sidebottom and then Darcy Cameron, who galloped onto the end of a whopping Lachie Schutlz torpedo from the centre square to quickly snuff out the home side's heroics.

The heat of the contest was on full show as both sides came to blows at the main change, however it was the Magpies who came out swinging to leave the Crows scrambling to stem the bleeding on the scoreboard and their opponent's constant press.

Much-needed majors to Pedlar and Thilthorpe dragged the Crows off the canvas by three-quarter time as the 35-point deficit midway through the penultimate term was chiseled back to 19, but time soon became a problem for the home side as both sides failed to score a major right until Elliott's fourth in the final 30 seconds of the game.

Fly's gamble on Cox pays off
While there was a considerable amount of coverage for milestone man Taylor Walker heading into his 300th game, it was the born and bred Texan in Mason Cox who Collingwood fans were most tuned into. Coming in for the omitted Dan McStay, Craig McRae rolled the dice to bring in the tall American for his first game since round 19, where he was subbed off in a goalless performance. While not registering a major for the game, the 34-year-old ensured the gutsy move came off, bringing the ball to ground on multiple occasions to the benefit of Collingwood's swarming smalls and provide a relieving option in the ruck with eight hitouts.

Busy Match Review awaits
Jordan De Goey was one of Collingwood's best on Thursday night, but may have a nervous wait to see if he'll feature in the upcoming preliminary final after a bump on Josh Worrell in the final two minutes of the third quarter. The Magpie, who had 24 disposals and six clearances, made glancing contact with Worrell's head while attempting to smother an entry inside forward 50, which will likely come under MRO attention. Worrell himself found himself on the other side with a bump on Lachie Schultz in the last term – the Magpies recruit similarly seeing out the rest of the game – while Mark Keane also clipped the back of Steele Sidebottom's head in the second term. 

Talk about using your head
Finals football is built on moments, so the old adage goes, and Billy Frampton's unconventional noggin-nous was one of those that dictated the manic opening quarter. The ex-Crow looked to have been completely undone deep in defence by a cruel bounce from a wild Rory Laird torpedo driving his side into attack, with 200-gamer Alex Neal-Bullen dashing in to tap through what at first glance appeared to be Adelaide's first goal. But a rewind of the tape showed Neal-Bullen's deflection had brushed the scrambling Frampton's head; his last-gasp lunge doing just enough to push the ball over the goal line before the milestone Crow could get a boot on it. It was ultimately one of a number of desperate defensive moments from Collingwood that culminated in a win to advance through to a preliminary final.

ADELAIDE                   2.1     5.1       8.4        8.7 (55)  
COLLINGWOOD          2.3     5.7     10.11     11.13 (79)  

GOALS
Adelaide: Pedlar 3, Walker 2, Thilthorpe 2, Dawson
Collingwood: Elliott 4, Sidebottom 3, Lipinski, De Goey, N.Daicos, Cameron

BEST
Adelaide: Thilthorpe, Neal-Bullen, Pedlar, Walker, Worrell
Collingwood: Moore, Elliott, N.Daicos, De Goey, Sidebottom, Cameron, Frampton 

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Collingwood: Nil 

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Brodie Smith (replaced Mitch Hinge in the third quarter)
Collingwood: Roan Steele (replaced Wil Parker in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 52,187 at Adelaide Oval