Adelaide utility Isaac Cumming says the Crows’ focus ahead of this weekend will be regaining an edge at the contest after a second-half fade out against Collingwood.

The Crows held a 26-point lead in the second quarter against the Magpies last Thursday night, before succumbing to the visitors’ pressure and an eventual 34-point defeat.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Cumming said players watched footage of the match post-game and pinpointed an inability to match Collingwood around the contest as a key factor in the loss.

“We were two different teams, especially that second quarter where we were playing really well and then in a blink of an eye, we changed the way we were going about it,” Cumming said.

“We watched the last bit of the second quarter, I think with about five minutes to go, we were 26 points up… but in that last five minutes they just sort of dominated, and then wrestled back all the momentum that we had for most of that second.

“They just won more contests than us. I think there was a passage of play where we lost about six in a row. (There was) some overuse as well, we sort of gifted them a couple goals off the back of trying to be too cute with it.”

The loss was particularly frustrating given the side was well and truly in the hunt at the final change, having only been behind by eight points, according to Cumming.

And the narrow three-quarter time margin was a similar situation the Crows found themselves in a week prior against Sydney but they were able to come out of that game with a win.

“We need to be harder in those contests and win them,” Cumming said.

“At three-quarter time, we were pretty much in the exact same spot as that Sydney game.

“It might be cliche, but quite simply, in the last quarter against Sydney, we won our contests, and we were able to kick some very nice goals to finish off our work, and that's the reason why we won that game.

“To simply compare it to that last quarter on the weekend, we just lost our contest, and you get what you deserve sometimes.”

The match against Collingwood was Cumming’s second since returning from a hamstring injury that had kept him out of the AFL side for three games.

After finishing with 16 disposals, Cumming said he was slowly returning to form.

“I think I probably needed that little sort of fortnight in the SANFL to shake off a bit of rehab rust, but I'm back into it now, and I feel like I'm building nicely,” Cumming said.

“We’ve got four more games to go before the real stuff happens, so if I continue just to build nicely until that, I’ll be happy with that.

“Everyone would like to be a bit better, I guess, but I'm happy with how my body's holding up, more importantly, so if I'm out there, I feel like I've got an opportunity to play some good footy.”

The Crows will be hoping to return to the winners’ list when they face Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday at 4.10pm (ACST), with the game to be broadcast live on Channel 7 Adelaide, Fox Footy and Kayo.