Adelaide has seen off a gallant Collingwood to come out on top of an absorbing contest and open its season with a hard-fought 17.9 (111) to 12.5 (77) win at Telstra Dome on Monday night.

The Pies served it right up to the Crows and the eventual 34-point margin doesn't do their performance justice. The result was in the balance until midway through the last quarter, but the visitors did well to maintain their composure.

Skipper Mark Ricciuto was a game-breaker for Adelaide playing mostly out of the goalsquare and finishing with six goals, while winger Martin Mattner and onballer Simon Goodwin were also important.

For the Pies, Nathan Buckley was classy as always with 25 possessions, while Dane Swan and Shane O'Bree got plenty of the ball - finishing with 34 and 32 touches respectively.

Adelaide started well with early goals to Ian Perrie and Ricciuto who started in the goalsquare, but the rest of the first term belonged to Dale Thomas and the Magpies.

The second overall pick in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft had Collingwood supporters on their feet with two goals - one from a towering mark 20 metres out - and some silky disposals.

The Pies weren't afraid to take on last year's minor premiers and played on at every opportunity, often leaving Adelaide players flat-footed in their wake. Two goals in a minute to Alan Didak and Chris Egan late in the quarter sent the decibel level soaring and Thomas' second to give the Pies an 18-point quarter-time lead nearly lifted the roof off.

The Crows responded early in the second with goals to Brent Reilly and Ricciuto cutting the deficit, but Travis Cloke steadied for Collingwood with a booming 52-metre effort off a step.

However, a noticeable change had come over the contest by midway through the term with the Maggies going into their shells a little, while Adelaide found another gear. Mattner was a crucial factor in the reversal with several important marks and a couple of line-breaking runs, with Ben Hart and Nathan Bassett mopping up well in defence.

Brett Burton kicked two goals for the quarter and Nick Maxwell added Collingwood's second, but at half-time it was Adelaide up by 13 points.

Thomas was the talk of the town again early in the third when a blazing run down the left wing - during which he baulked no less than Andrew McLeod - finished with a goal to O'Bree.

The Crows threatened to run away with the match after that with another two goals to Ricciuto putting them 19 points up, but the Pies kept working hard and were able to recreate the pressure they had put on Adelaide in the first quarter.

They kicked four unanswered goals with the last two to Didak putting them back in front. It was Adelaide's turn to soak up the pressure and now and they did it well, slowing down the tempo of the game with several very Sydneyesque uncontested passages of play.

The ploy worked and a goal to Scott Thompson had the Crows up by just one point at the last break.

The result was on a knife-edge as the last quarter progressed. A goal to Perrie gave Adelaide some breathing space, but the Magpies kept coming, putting the Crows defence under intense pressure. However, with Anthony Rocca and Chris Tarrant having quiet nights the ball kept coming out of their forward 50.

Rhett Biglands pulled the ball down from a ruck contest and snapped a goal 13 minutes in to edge his side closer to the win and Ricciuto's sixth five minutes later put the result beyond doubt.

After the Pies had taken the fight right up to Adelaide in the third quarter, Neil Craig was pleased that his players were able to first slow the tempo of the game and then move forward on their own terms once more in the last quarter.

"We held Collingwood scoreless, so from a defensive action (perspective) all over the ground, I think that needs to be given the credit that it deserves," he said.

"But I thought our ability to go back and play attacking footy again after having tried to stem the flow of the game was pleasing.

"Having said that, Collingwood were very, very good … make no mistake about that."

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said his team tired late in the game, but refused to take anything away from Adelaide's performance.

"I think it was a little bit of fatigue. I think everyone rates Adelaide about the same. The bookies rate them as one of the favourites, if not the favourite," Malthouse said.

"I certainly rate them as one of the best in the competition and I thought if we could just get our game going and with a little ounce of luck to get us in front, maybe we could hold on."

COLLINGWOOD: 5.1, 7.4, 12.5, 12.5 (77)
ADELAIDE: 2.1, 9.5, 12.6, 17.9 (111)

GOALS – Collingwood: Didak 3, Thomas 2, Davis, Egan, T. Cloke, Maxwell, O'Bree, Rocca, Lonie
Adelaide: Ricciuto 6, Perrie 3, Burton 2, Biglands 2, Reilly, Bode, Thompson, Shirley
BEST – Collingwood: O'Bree, Buckley, Swan, Holland, Thomas, Lockyer, Lonie, Didak
Adelaide: Mattner, Ricciuto, Goodwin, Edwards, Hart, Burton, Bassett
INJURIES – Collingwood: Clement (groin)
Adelaide: Nil
CHANGES – Nil
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Ellis, Goldspink, Jeffery
CROWD - 35,434 at Telstra Dome