Adelaide came out firing in Round 1 at the MCG, grabbing the early break against Collingwood in what shapes as a defining night for the Crows.
Few would have predicted it walking in. Collingwood entered the match as favourites, boasting 11 wins from their last 12 clashes against Adelaide, with the Crows losing eight of their last ten at the MCG. The history books were stacked against them. The Crows had other ideas.
In the opening term, Ned Long and Dan Houston were the standout movers, each racking up eight disposals to set the tone through the middle and along the flanks. But it was DC who left the biggest fingerprint on the quarter, dominating stoppages with five clearances, four more than any other player on the ground. In a contest widely tipped to be decided through the midfield, Adelaide has drawn first blood exactly where it counts.
After a 2025 finals series that exposed real weaknesses around stoppages and midfield burst, Adelaide entered 2026 with a point to prove. So far, they are making that point loudly.
