In a dour struggle at the SCG on Saturday night, the home team prevailed by 13 points - 8.10 (58) to 6.9 (45).
Barry Hall made the most of his six possessions on young Ben Rutten with four goals, but Rutten, Nathan Bock and Fergus Watts showed signs that they will be players of the future for the Adelaide Football Club.
Andrew McLeod was Adelaide's leading ball-winner with 20 possessions while Michael Doughty had 19, and the Tysons - Edwards and Stenglein - 18 apiece.
Adelaide spearhead Scott Welsh, with 15 goals in his two previous matches, could not shake off the close checking of Leo Barry and could only manage two goals.
Best on ground, Brett Kirk was the leading possession-winner with 30 disposals.
Adelaide had the better of the first term and held a one point break at quarter time.
The Swans kicked three goals within the opening eight minutes of the second quarter. Two goals to Hall and one to Michael O'Loughlin saw the Swans float out to a 17 point lead.
Scott Welsh got one back for the Crows but a third goal for the quarter to Hall and one right on half time to Stephen Doyle saw the Swans go to the long break four goals up.
O'Loughlin kicked the only goal of the third quarter as the game struggled to find any momentum.
Michael Doughty gave the Crows some hope when he kicked the opening goal of the final stanza, but to overcome a 32-point three-quarter time deficit was simply asking too much.
As it was, the Crows kicked the only three goals of the final quarter, but it wasn't enough.
Adelaide coach Neil Craig was pleased his players fought the match out to the finish.
“Our ability to keep at it and show some resilience as a footy club, particularly in the last quarter when in real terms the game had been lost, is going to hold the players in good stead,” he said.
“Their ability to put some clean plays together was the difference between the two sides.”
Craig said he remains focused on his team's immediate needs, not his own longer-term prospects.
“We know exactly where we want to go. Whether I am in the role of not is irrelevant, that is not a concern to me. My only concern is about the Adelaide Football club.”
Next week Adelaide hosts Fremantle.
Sydney: 2.1 7.5 8.8 8.10 (58)
Adelaide: 2.2 3.5 3.6 6.9 (45)
Goals: Sydney: Hall 4, O'Loughlin 2, Nicks, Doyle
Adelaide: Welsh 2, Clarke, Johncock, Doughty, Bock
Best: Sydney: Brett Kirk, Barry Hall, Jude Bolton, Paul Williams, Tadhg Kennelly
Adelaide: Tyson Edwards, Andrew McLeod, Michael Doughty, Tyson Stenglein
Injuries: Sydney: None
Adelaide: Ricciuto (shoulder)
Umpires: Kennedy, Head, Nicholls
Crowd: 28483 at SCG
