Sydney’s fairytale season has come to a halt with a 67-point loss to Adelaide in the semi-final on Saturday night.

The Adelaide Crows rebounded from last week’s loss to Brisbane to keep their season alive with the 12.10 (82) to 2.3 (15) victory.

CROWS v SWANS Full match coverage and stats

The match started as a tight tussle with both sides finding it tough to break through.

Aliesha Newman opened the Swans account, scoring the team’s only goal in the opening quarter.

Co-captain Chloe Molloy chimed in for another major in the second, and although behind, the Swans were still in it at half-time.

However, it was all the Crows after the break. Adelaide’s Anne Hatchard was outstanding, booting two goals to go with a record-breaking 37 disposals, 10 marks and three clearances.

Laura Gardiner led the way for the Swans with a team-high 22 disposals, while Ella Heads and Brenna Tarrant were solid as they weathered the storm down back.

But the absence of leading key forward Bec Privitelli (foot) left a significant hole in attack, with the Swans employing a considerably smaller forward line.

ADELAIDE       2.2    5.5    8.5    12.10 (82)
SYDNEY          1.0    2.0    2.3    2.3 (15)

While it wasn’t the result the team had been hoping for coach Scott Gowans said he is proud of everything they have achieved this season.

“We were beaten by a really good footy side – they were bigger and stronger than us and we have a little bit of work to do in that area, our team is still developing,” Gowans said.  

“My heart says that they gave everything they possibly could out there, they kept at it, and it was just one of those games where we were beaten by a better side.

"We went in with the strategy of trying to control the contested ball and couldn't do it, then we tried plans B, C and D. We're just not quite there yet, which is fine, we're on a journey and learning, and we got a good lesson tonight.

"The big thing for me was our pressure factor stayed around 2.4, and we had a target of 2.3, and we achieved that in the game, it never dropped off. Our GPS was our second-highest for the year, so our work-rate was there, we were just beaten by a better side." 

Adelaide will now face North Melbourne in a preliminary final.

The Swans finished the season winning six home-and-away games and last week's qualifying final against the Gold Coast.