Adelaide has ended its Collingwood hoodoo with a nerve-jangling three-point triumph to keep a grip on top spot.

The Crows trailed by 25 points at quarter-time but prevailed 9.5 (59) to 8.8 (56) at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night - their first win against the Pies since 2016.

Adelaide (68 premiership points) will finish first entering the finals if they defeat 17th-placed North Melbourne next Saturday.

Collingwood (60 points), with five losses from the past six games, is fourth and in a logjam jostling for positions ahead of a Friday-night fixture against Melbourne.

The Crows had lost their past 10 games against the Magpies, preceded by a 2017 draw.

But with victory before a sold-out crowd of 54,283 - the second-largest attendance at an AFL game at the oval - Adelaide equalled their club-best returns of 17 wins and five losses in 2005 and 2012 - a win over the Roos will create a new benchmark.

The Crows were jumped by a fast-starting Collingwood, who produced a first-term blitz to create a 25-point quarter-time lead, 5.3 to 1.2.

But Adelaide flipped the script in the second term, with ex-captain Taylor Walker kicking two of five unanswered goals for the hosts.

A late strike from Izak Rankine gave Adelaide a five-point edge at half-time, 6.3 to 5.4.

The third quarter, amid rain, was tight - neither team managing a goal until Adelaide's Isaac Cumming scored in the 27th minute.

But Pies forward Jamie Elliott replied, threading a set shot from an acute angle, to reduce Adelaide's advantage to two points at three-quarter time, 7.4 to 6.8.

Another scoring stalemate ensued in a tense finale: a goalless 17-minute stretch finally broken when James Peatling snapped accurately.

But Jack Crisp responded six minutes later to reduce the margin to three points.

Key Crow Riley Thilthorpe then took a superb contested mark and converted.

Again the Pies responded, with a long bomb from Nick Daicos leaving the visitors three points down, but Adelaide grimly held on for victory.

Ex-Crows skipper Walker and Darcy Fogarty kicked two goals each, while defenders Josh Worrell (27 disposals), Mark Keane (23) and captain Jordan Dawson (23) were influential.

Collingwood's Nick Daicos was superb with a game-high 29 possessions and a goal.

Veteran Scott Pendlebury (24 touches) was prominent, especially early, Darcy Cameron (23 disposals) ruled the rucks, and forwards Elliott and Tim Membrey booted two majors apiece.

ADELAIDE           1.2     6.3     7.4     9.5 (59)
COLLINGWOOD          5.3     5.4       6.8         8.8 (56) 

GOALS
Adelaide: Fogarty 2, Walker 2, Curtin, Rankine, Cumming, Peatling, Thilthorpe
Collingwood: Membrey 2, Elliott 2, Houston, Cameron, Crisp, N.Daicos

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Collingwood: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Harry Schoenberg (replaced Zac Taylor at three-quarter time)
Collingwood: Ed Allan (replaced Pat Lipinski in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 54,283 at Adelaide Oval