Forward Jason Porplyzia overcame a dodgy shoulder to kick five goals and lead Adelaide to an upset 24-point win over Sydney at the SCG.

Porplyzia, whose shoulder has popped out several times this year including two weeks ago against Collingwood, made light of talk of season-ending shoulder surgery to help lift the Crows back into the AFL's top eight.

Adelaide won 11.11 (77) to Sydney's 6.17 (53), shocking the 26,260 fans at the SCG.

The fourth-placed Swans have lost to Adelaide in nine of the past 10 meetings between two sides.

Adelaide's win lifts the Crows back into the eight following St Kilda's shock loss to West Coast, while the Swans remain in fourth spot.

The Swans trailed by 21 points at three-quarter time after neither side managed to kick a goal in the third term.

Sydney hit the post six times in the second half, including costly misses from Barry Hall, Ryan O'Keefe and Jarrad McVeigh in the last quarter.

Adelaide kicked three goals in the final term including two from Porplyzia while the Swans scored consolation goals through Barry Hall and Ben Mathews.

After a scrappy opening, Adelaide kicked three quick goals late in the first quarter to lead 3.6 (24) to Sydney's 2.3 (15) at quarter-time.

Hall was well-held by Ben Rutten but the Swans were able to turn to youngsters Craig Bird and Matt O'Dwyer for goals in the second term.

However the Crows steadied with four goals in the second quarter including three from Jason Porplyzia to take a 23-point-lead at halftime.

Sydney were hampered by injuries with dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes appearing to be limited in his movements by ongoing groin soreness and Henry Playfair limping off after a heavy fall on the outer wing in the second quarter.

Coach Paul Roos sent the proppy Goodes up forward in the second half and he finished with eight possessions.

Hall had little impact on the first half as he returned from a two-match ban imposed by the club for anger-management issues related to his seven-game and one-game suspensions handed out by the AFL Tribunal this season for striking offences.

Hall (six possessions) finally kicked a goal, Sydney's first since midway through the second quarter, after receiving a free kick at the 21-minute mark of the final quarter.

Hard-running utility O'Keefe and defender Tadgh Kennelly were busy for the Swans who were without backmen Nick Malceski (calf) and Leo Barry (hamstring) and full forward Michael O'Loughlin (ankle).

The Swans host Fremantle at the SCG next Saturday night while Adelaide will be at home on Saturday to Carlton.

Swans coach Paul Roos said he was concerned about the injury to Goodes and said his star midfielder wouldn't play next week.

While Goodes has been affected by groin soreness in recent weeks, Roos said he didn't know the exact cause of the injury and he may have jarred his hip.

"It's frustrating for him obviously. He's a great player. It's a little bid sad to watch," Roos said.

"You'd be mad if you put him on the ground next week. He couldn't compete at all.

"I think we've got to make sure we're going into next week with a healthy team. That's our biggest challenge."

But Roos promised Swans fans that Hall would improve after failing to dominate in his first game back from a two-game club suspension.

"Hall wasn't great but he's going to get better obviously," Roos said.

Fullback Leo Barry (hamstring) and defender Nick Malceski (calf) are 50-50 chances to return next week, Roos said, while Henry Playfair could miss several weeks with a hamstring injury.

Adelaide coach Neil Craig said despite five consecutive losses, his players' spirits had remained high.

"I'm just really proud of their persistence. The fact is they've remain upbeat because in those situations it's very easy to feel sorry for yourselves and wallow in self pity," Craig said.

"They didn't do that. They made an effort not to do that. So every Monday when we walked in you just smell that they were ready to go again.

"We copped the criticism and rightly so. So to stand up and continue to prepare to win the next game is the thing I'm most proud of."

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