Triumphant Sydney coach John Longmire has praised his side's maturity in turning the tide and holding off a fast-finishing Adelaide.

The Swans burst out of the blocks to go ahead by 29 points early in the second quarter before the Crows stormed home on the back of a big home-ground advantage.

But after Adelaide booted three-straight goals to reclaim the lead in the last quarter, late goals to Sam Reid and Tom Papley sealed a famous three-point victory for Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

"I just think the players thought through it really well and won some important balls," Longmire said.

"Our leaders and some of our young players won some important moments in those instances.

"When you're playing away and they've got the momentum in the last quarter and they've got a couple of goals in front, to be able to hold that and stop it at those two goals and get the goals back is a sign of really strong maturity in our team."

Skipper Josh Kennedy was at the forefront of the success in his first game back after missing a fortnight with a hamstring injury.

Kennedy laid the platform for the victory with a huge first half where he racked up 21 possessions, including 11 contested.

"He was super in the first half in particular," Longmire said.

"He was champing at the bit to get back in the team after a couple of weeks out.

"He doesn't like watching so he had a really good game, especially when the heat was on."

Longmire wouldn't comment on the lop-sided 28-14 free-kick count that went against the Swans after the AFL's warning to clubs.

Young gun Isaac Heeney committed several of those infringements in his quest to keep Crows star Rory Sloane (29 possessions, 14 tackles and nine clearances) quiet.

"Sometimes that is going to happen when you get two massive competitors playing against each other," Longmire said.

"We've got enormous respect for Rory Sloane, he's hard as and so is Isaac.

"If you can get a bit of education along the way that's always a good sign, and I'm sure (Heeney) would've got that."

The Swans have won 13 of their 15 games and are fourth on the ladder ahead of Richmond on percentage.

After losing the first six games of the season, Sydney has shown tremendous resolve in knocking off Geelong and Adelaide away from home in the past three weeks.

"I'm never big on the fact of talking about it, we much rather go and do it," Longmire said.

"While it's good to be able to do, we need to do it again and again and again."