SO MUCH for writing off Hawthorn.
The Hawks – sitting second-last on the ladder before the start of round 14 - produced one of the biggest upsets of the season, stunning top of the table Adelaide by 14 points at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
Trailing by 18 points at half-time, the Hawks dominated the second half with eight goals to three to quieten the crowd of 45,312.
Hawthorn is now a perfect 3-0 against the Crows at Adelaide Oval after the 14.12 (96) to 12.10 (82) victory.
Hawks recruit Ricky Henderson (30 disposals, two goals) got the last laugh over his former side in his 100th game, Shaun Burgoyne (26 possessions with 17 contested) was outstanding and Rising Star nominee Ryan Burton produced two clutch goals in the third term.
Veteran Grant Birchall (28 disposals) was also influential in his return from a knee injury while Tom Mitchell continued on his merry way with a game-high 38 disposals.
The Hawks kept Crows star Rory Sloane (23 touches) in check.
A late goal to impressive midfielder Hugh Greenwood gave the Crows a five-point lead at the final change, but the Hawks couldn't be stopped.
After a couple of close calls, goals to Paul Puopolo and Henderson sealed the deal and ensured the Hawks (5-8) have a finals heartbeat.
It took the Hawks just 42 seconds to kick more goals than they did in the entire first half of their previous visit to Adelaide Oval three weeks ago.
That night, they were kept to just 0.3 in the first two quarters against Port Adelaide in a one-sided encounter.
But with a quartet of premiership players in Luke Hodge, Grant Birchall, Luke Bruest and Ryan Schoenmakers back in the team and bringing 796 games of experience with them, the Hawks were an entirely different proposition.
They slowed the Crows down, didn't allow them to break from half-back and made the most of their own attacking opportunities.
Nothing separated the two sides at quarter-time with the scoreboard locked at 4.2 (26).
Hawthorn followed the blueprint laid down by the rest of the competition in keeping Adelaide star Rory Sloane quiet.
Daniel Howe was given the job at the opening bounce of applying physical pressure to the club champion and last year's All-Australian vice-captain.
However, it wasn't just left to Howe, the Hawks applying a team defence philosophy with several players getting turns at annoying and pestering Sloane.
The Crows were being seriously challenged for one of the few times this season.
Momentum swung their way in the final six minutes before half-time courtesy of two goals to Josh Jenkins and something special from skipper Taylor Walker.
A snap from Jenkins somehow bounced through without being touched courtesy of an Eddie Betts shepherd in the goal-square.
Jenkins then shoved Hodge out of the way to win the contested ball and snap truly for another, before skipper Taylor Walker marked, swung around and unloaded from 55m to give the Crows an 18-point lead at the long break.
Rory Atkins was outstanding in the second quarter with 13 touches after just five in the first.
The Crows had a huge advantage in Inside 50s (33-18) and were in front in contested possessions (a +14 differential), but the Hawks refused to go away.
After half-time the visitors came out and continued to apply the pressure, kicking eight goals to three in the second half.
Alastair Clarkson may need to rethink the words he spoke on Wednesday when he said his side was out of the finals race.
ADELAIDE 4.2 9.4 10.6 12.10 (82)
HAWTHORN 4.2 6.4 9.7 14.12 (96)
GOALS
Adelaide: Jenkins 3, Walker 2, Greenwood 2, Cameron, B.Crouch, Betts, Lynch, Otten
Hawthorn: O’Brien 2, Burton 2, Puopolo 2, Henderson 2, Roughead, Langford, O’Brien, Hartung, Mitchell, Burgoyne
BEST
Adelaide: M.Crouch, Greenwood, Laird, Talia, Lynch
Hawthorn: Henderson, Mitchell, Burgoyne, Birchall, Burton, Hardwick
INJURIES
Adelaide: Milera (knee), Brown (ankle)
Hawthorn: TBC
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Margetts, Meredith
Official crowd: 45,312
