A RED-HOT Adelaide has asserted its premiership credentials with a 90-point demolition job over Sydney at the SCG on Saturday.

On a night celebrating the famed Bloods culture, the Crows mauled last year's beaten grand finalists, slamming through 12 unanswered goals on their way to a 21.5 (131) to 5.11 (41) victory at the SCG on Saturday.

SWANS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Adelaide rises to third (8-4) on the ladder after holding the Swans to one goal at half-time.

The Crows enjoyed even contributions across all lines, with goalkicking responsibilities shared among 14 players.

Josh Rachele and Ben Keays kicked three goals, with Alex Neal-Bullen (25 disposals) and Josh Worrell (24) getting plenty of the ball.

Meanwhile, Sydney is left languishing in 14th (4-8) after falling short of emulating the Bloods ethos that in 2005 netted the club's first premiership in 72 years.

The 2005 winning team did a lap of honour at half-time to mark 20 years since their breakthrough, with legend Adam Goodes among the honorees, and powerhouse forward Barry Hall also present at the coin toss.

But the celebration could not inspire the home team.

Dean Cox's side lacked composure against Adelaide's pressure and made uncharacteristic errors, unable to bounce back from last round's dismal 53-point loss to Melbourne.

They next face 16th-placed Richmond before they head into their mid-season bye.

Sydney opened the scoring through Hayden McLean (two goals), but it was all Adelaide from there, the visitors kicking five goals to one in the first quarter.

Adelaide defender Brodie Smith provided an early highlight, pulling off a goal from just outside the 50-mark after a poor chip kick from Swans superstar Chad Warner.

The Crows' ascendancy continued with little resistance as the home side struggled to get outside their defensive 50.

So poor were the Swans that the 35,229-strong crowd resorted to cheering on their behinds in the second quarter - the home side notched only two points in that term to Adelaide’s 7.0.

Riley Thilthorpe scored his second major of the evening when his boot edged out Swans defenders Tom McCartin and Matt Roberts on the line.

The Swans briefly came alive in the third quarter when Will Hayward ended their goal-scoring drought, but the Crows snuffed out the challenge.

Justin McInerney led the Swans with 26 touches and five clearances in his 100th AFL game.

Not sure what it was, but it was good
During the second-quarter blitz it looked like James Peatling had pulled out a Goal of the Year contender with a subterranean snap that took a late turn to beat a pack of players over the goal line. Except it didn’t. A pair of Swans defenders met the ball at the last moment and the goal umpire called it a rushed behind. Except it wasn’t. Under review it was declared a goal to Riley Thilthorpe as the big Crow rolled his right boot over the ball just before it passed the paint.

Keane and more than able
It took Mark Keane a while to find his footballing feet but the Irishman is now using them to go forward in leaps and bounds. After two years and five games at Collingwood Keane headed home to the Emerald Isle and Gaelic Football, before giving AFL another chance at Adelaide. This year he has become a rock in the Crows’ defence and was arguably best on ground on Saturday night, finishing with 23 disposals, 15 of them intercept possessions.

SYDNEY       1.2     1.4      5.7     5.11 (41)
ADELAIDE    5.3    12.3    18.4    21.5 (131)

GOALS
Sydney: McLean 2, Heeney, Hayward, Campbell
Adelaide: Rachele 3, Keays 3, Thilthorpe 2, Cumming 2, Fogarty 2, Walker, Soligo, Smith, Rankine, Pedlar, Neal-Bullen, Milera, Dawson, Berry

BEST
Sydney: Grundy, Heeney, McCartin, Rowbottom, Ch.Worner, Sheldrick
Adelaide: Keane, Neal-Bullen, Keays, Thilthorpe, Rachele, Cumming

INJURIES
Sydney: TBC
Adelaide: TBC

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney: Caiden Cleary, replaced Riley Bice (tactical) at half-time
Adelaide: Sid Draper, replaced Riley Thilthorpe (tactical) at three-quarter time

Crowd: 35,229 at the SCG