ADELAIDE lost all eight quarters last September to bow out in straight sets, but it made a statement in the premiership quarter on Saturday night to launch out of the blocks in 2026.

Six clinical goals in less than 20 minutes after half-time almost killed the contest, but not before Collingwood made a signature late charge under Craig McRae.  

MAGPIES V CROWS Full match details and stats

Matthew Nicks' side won 18 games last year to finish on top of the ladder and return to the finals for the first time since the 2017 Grand Final, but they endured a summer of soul searching after being dispatched by Collingwood and Hawthorn at home in both the qualifying and semi-final. 

They will need to atone this September for what went wrong last September, but this was the ideal way to move on after a long off-season and pre-season at West Lakes.

Adelaide won the midfield battle and played better earlier and for longer to beat Collingwood at the MCG for the first time since 2014 to record a 13.15 (93) to 11.13 (79) win.

With Collingwood captain Darcy Moore, veteran backman Jeremy Howe and the next man in Reef McInnes all sidelined, the Magpies were left with an undersized defence to combat the Crows' three-headed monster. 

Isaac Quaynor (180cm) and Brayden Maynard (189cm) were handed assignments above their weight divisions against Darcy Fogarty (192cm) and Taylor Walker (192cm), while Billy Frampton was handed the task of quelling Riley Thilthorpe, but couldn't. 

Thilhorpe booted 60 goals in a breakout 2025 campaign that was rewarded with an All-Australian blazer for the first time and slotted two of his three goals in the defining third quarter. 

Josh Worrell was the most influential Crow on the ground in the first half, patrolling the back half of the ground, hauling in nine intercepts from his 27 disposals. Wayne Milera amassed 34 disposals and 654m gained across half-back in one of the finest performances of his career to be in the votes. 

Dan Houston picked up where he left off on Sunday night to maintain his fast start to 2026, collecting 32 touches and 693m gained, while Nick Daicos should feature in the Brownlow votes again after finishing with 33 disposals, 776m gained and two goals. 

Adelaide wants in on Opening Round, but they had to watch on from afar last weekend, while the Magpies got going with a decent win over St Kilda on Labour Day Eve. 

But it was the Crows, not the Magpies, that looked like the team with early season match practice early. Collingwood couldn't connect inside 50 in the first half, despite winning the territory battle. They slotted four goals in the second quarter to get going, although all four came from general play, not set shots. 

Adelaide responded straight after half-time, registering the first six scores in eight minutes, including three goals. Nick Daicos started the second half on a wing and looked in from the outside early while the Crows motored away.

Collingwood was on the canvas, but they are never done. They responded at the start of the fourth quarter. First through Lachie Schultz, then via Jamie Elliott. They had a pulse late. A parochial, frustrated home crowd behind them, and belief from the stack of close wins under McRae. When Tim Membrey calmly slotted a goal halfway through the last quarter, the margin was two goals.

But then Walker made Collingwood pay for a stand infringement, finding Fogarty in the pocket after a 50m penalty, which halted the Magpies' momentum and ended the contest.

It has been a slow, patient build under Nicks. But year six was the explosion. If Saturday night is a sign of what’s to come this year, Adelaide will be a premiership contender again in 2026.

One to go past
Scott Pendlebury overtook Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck to move into outright second spot for most games played at the highest level. The 38-year-old is now only five games behind Brent Harvey's mark of 432 appearances. After sitting on the bench for the first 20 minutes on Saturday night and then again for a chunk of the second quarter, Pendlebury entered the game five minutes in and played 64 per cent ahead of an early season weekend off in round two.

Soligo returns after difficult summer
Amid the wave of momentum in the third quarter, Jake Soligo had his moment, slotting an important goal after an interrupted pre-season. Soligo underwent a procedure on his heart in late February to correct an irregular heartbeat. The 23-year-old was cleared for round one after having his workload managed either side of surgery. The Crows also had to publicly dismiss online rumours relating to Soligo last month. Now Soligo is back on the park and ready to get on with 2026.

Talls struggle again
It's early, but Collingwood appears to be lacking a key target in attack following the departures of Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox at the end of last season. Dan McStay, Tim Membrey and Jack Buller combined for one goal on Saturday night after one combined last Sunday night. Mihocek will line up for Melbourne for the first time on Sunday, while Cox was delisted and landed at Fremantle. Gold Coast free agent Ben King has been a long-term target and will continue to be.

COLLINGWOOD    0.1   4.8    6.10    11.13 (79)
ADELAIDE            2.3    5.5   11.10   13.15 (93)
 
GOALS
Collingwood: Steele 2, Schultz 2, Elliott 2, N. Daicos 2, Membrey, McCreery, Crisp
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 3, Fogarty 2, Cumming 2, Soligo, Rachele, Pedlar, Neal-Bullen, Keays, Cook

BEST
Collingwood: Houston, N.Daicos, Cameron, Quaynor, Steele
Adelaide: Milera, Worrell, Thilthorpe, Cook, Neal-Bullen, Cumming

INJURIES
Collingwood: Nil
Adelaide: Nil

Crowd: 62,482 at the MCG