Super Saturday Verdict: ‘Immense pressure’ on Crows as ‘real’ 12yr curse tipped to rear head

Adelaide is looking to overcome a 12-year Collingwood curse when the sides meet for a rematch of last year’s qualifying final on Super Saturday.

And for a three-time premiership star, the reason for the hoodoo is “really real” and set to play a hand again.

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The Crows haven’t beaten the Magpies at the MCG since 2014, and overall have won just one game in their past 13 attempts against the Victorian juggernaut.

Further, they’ve lost 11 of their past 13 MCG fixtures.

After finishing as minor premiers last season, Adelaide kicks off a season where it hopes to make a deep September run as strong contenders – having added two-time premiership utility Cal Ah Chee to its starting mix.

But after an uninspiring finals exit last September, triple Richmond flag-winning forward Jack Riewoldt believes the heat on the Crows is high as they commence their 2026 campaign.

“Adelaide is under immense pressure, and I have no doubt that in Adelaide they are under even more pressure to find where they are at,” Riewoldt told Foxfooty.com.au in the lead-up to Round 1 Super Saturday.

“Straight sets exit in the finals last year – did they have a soft draw? Is that why they finished first? So many questions to be answered internally, and externally as well, because we’re all watching.

“Is that (bowing out in straight sets) the anomaly, or is this a side that maybe can’t stand the heat of finals – does the game plan stand up in finals? Does the selection stand up in finals?

“It’ll be a fascinating watch over the year.”

The Crows have added Ah Chee and ex-Kangaroos forward Finnbar Maley, as well as draftees Mitch Marsh and Archie Ludowyke, since Hawthorn ended their 2025 season in a semi-final.

But there will be talk throughout the year as to whether that was enough significant change to the club’s list between seasons.

And after its failed trade pursuit of now-Gold Coast hybrid Christian Petracca, Matthew Nicks and company will look inward this year for more midfield answers – particularly with Dan Curtin out for the early stages.

“Probably not (enough change), to be honest, and I think that Adelaide may admit that as well, that they may be batting a midfielder short – a dynamic midfielder,” Riewoldt said.

“I have no doubt they would have loved to have got someone like a Petracca to their footy club … but can they reinvent someone to run through that midfield and be the running mate to Izak Rankine?

“Is it (Josh) Rachele – who’s … not a bona fide AFL player yet, for mine. He’s still too flighty, and that will be the thing for him – can he become a consistent AFL player, where we know which (version) we’re getting, three out of four weeks?

“Because he’s the name that many Adelaide people think will be able to roll through the middle part of the ground.”

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Riewoldt added of the midfield’s profile: “You look at (Jake) Soligo and (Sam) Berry, and even Jordan Dawson to an extent – very one-paced.

“Dawson is obviously a line-breaker through skill, so they need a new face through there to partner with Izak Rankine, to make sure that they’re a dynamic enough midfield to be a contender.”

As for the Magpies, who’ve been hard to get a good gauge of in the preseason despite a preliminary final berth last year, more than a few are tipping a slide down the ladder.

Collingwood remains the oldest and most experienced side in the competition, with 10 of their starters now 30 or older – but despite a shaky stretch at the back end of last season, there hasn’t been much reason to doubt Craig McRae’s outfit.

The Pies opened their 2026 account with a gritty, low-scoring 12-point win over St Kilda – but the game style, as well as available personnel, is what leaves scope for scepticism as they prepare to engage in battle with the Crows.

“I think it was a little bit of an uninspiring game (against the Saints)… but until we see Collingwood against those highly offensively-slanted sides, does their game plan stand up?” Riewoldt posed.

“The early part of the season is always about answering questions about where a side actually does sit … I will be fascinated to see how Collingwood stands up against what I think will be a pretty aggressive Adelaide.

“Collingwood has got a myriad of injuries down back … Billy Frampton and a few down there have got their work cut out for them.”

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Riley Thilthorpe, Darcy Fogarty and Taylor Walker are hard enough to contain as a group as it is, let alone without All-Australian skipper Darcy Moore, veteran interceptor Jeremy Howe and up-and-comer Reef McInnes.

And while the Pies looked to build up play last Sunday with uncontested marks – their 147 marks smashed last season’s league average of 88.5 – it’s going to be much harder to keep things on their terms against an Adelaide side that loved to punish in turnover transition last year.

Especially after Collingwood finished -23 for inside-50s last week.

“Wins are wins early, but I imagine that they’re relatively happy with the fact they were able to put on a performance that got them the points and were able to win,” Riewoldt continued of the Pies.

“I don’t know whether 140 uncontested marks will fly against the best sides, and I don’t know if you give up 60+ inside-50s that’ll fly as well.

“So, they’ve got some work to do, no doubt … they are going to be a fascinating watch.”

But while the Crows play a more attractive brand, there’s a key reason why Riewoldt is instead tipping the home side to get the job done on Saturday night.

“I think this is going to be a pretty close battle, and I think that maybe Collingwood might just get the points – I only say that because of the MCG factor,” he said.

“I think that’s real. I think that is really real. They (the Crows) don’t play at the G a lot; it’s a very different ground to Adelaide Oval.

“If this were being played at Adelaide Oval, I’d be typing Adelaide. But purely for the fact it’s at the MCG, I’ll be tipping Collingwood.”

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