FITZROY will hang onto a piece of VFL/AFL history for at least another year, no matter how unwanted it might be.

The 1964 Lions were the last team to endure a winless season, and Adelaide avoided that ignominy by humbling a Hawthorn side that could hardly be further away from its famous flag three-peat. 

Rookie Crows coach Matthew Nicks finally celebrated his maiden victory in charge in the process, after overseeing losses in his first 13 games since replacing Don Pyke.

Much has happened since, with Adelaide moving on a number of veterans and not fighting hard to retain others in launching a full-blown rebuild that's received incessant criticism.

However, Nicks' men have been increasingly competitive, even though the results don't necessarily show it, and Tuesday night's 12.11 (83) to 7.6 (48) triumph at Adelaide Oval was just reward.

A mixture of old and new overwhelmed the Hawks, who will miss the finals for the third time in the past four seasons and could yet tumble further than third-last.

In a telling moment, former captain Taylor Walker roared in the approving Crows faithful's direction after becoming the fifth Adelaide footballer to kick a second goal for the day.

The Crows never trailed and probably should have won by more after spraying a series of shots in the opening quarter, which set the tone for an impressive win.

As for the Hawks, this is the lowest ebb in an awful season that started 3-1, but has been followed by nine defeats in their next 10 matches.

Jack Scrimshaw (22, six intercept possessions) and Chad Wingard (16, two goals) were the best of an underwhelming bunch, with coach Alastair Clarkson again losing his cool at quarter-time.

Clarkson's dark mood, which was targeted at Luke Breust at the first break, won't have improved by game's end.

Another ex-Tigers small forward is thriving
Saint Dan Butler's re-emergence this year after falling out of favour at Richmond has been a popular storyline. Butler was equal-fifth in the Coleman Medal as a former teammate, Tyson Stengle, put on his own show for Adelaide on Tuesday night. The Tigers didn't want him to go, but Stengle is from South Australia and wanted more senior opportunity. That didn't immediately come last season, when he was stuck behind Eddie Betts and Lachie Murphy. However, Betts' and other veterans' departure at the end of last season created vacancies for the likes of Stengle. The 21-year-old was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons earlier in the year for a drink driving charge, but he's quietly making his mark. The numbers aren't blowing anyone away yet – and there are still some wrinkles in his game – but Stengle does nice things each week that make you take notice. He had five score involvements by half-time against Hawthorn and left Shaun Burgoyne in his wake with a clean pick-up and clever snap for a goal. 

"He's broken, Glass"
It turns out Fox Footy commentator Dwayne Russell was being overly dramatic, but he undoubtedly enjoyed rolling those three words out in the first quarter. Chayce Jones – not his lookalike, Jake Kelly – had just crunched Hawk Conor Glass as the Sherrin bounced in front of him and left the Irishman worse for wear and needing to hobble from the field. Jones, too, felt the impact after initially trying to shake it off. There was nothing untoward about the young Crow's hit and the contact wasn't high, with Glass able to return to the ground and play the match out.

HAWTHORN   1.3       4.3       6.5       7.6 (48)
ADELAIDE      2.4       6.6       9.9      12.11 (83) 

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Wingard 2, Lewis, Minchington
Adelaide: Fogarty 2, Jones 2, Schoenberg 2, Walker 2, Stengle, Keays, McAdam, Murphy 

BEST
Hawthorn: Scrimshaw, Wingard, Scully, Gunston, Mitchell
Adelaide: M.Crouch, Keays, B.Crouch, O'Brien, Stengle, Smith, Brown 

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Nil
Adelaide: Nil