The Crows, who held Carlton goalless to half time last week, restricted the Hawks to just four majors in the first half and generated 12 of their own to record their best start to a game this season.
Hawthorn issued a challenge with four goals-to-none in the third term, but the home side skipped away again in the last to post its biggest score of the year.
Taylor Walker (five goals) and Chris Knights (four goals) did the damage up forward, while Nathan Bock and Ben Rutten held Hawthorn stars Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead to four goals.
Scott Thompson (38 disposals), David Mackay (26) and Michael Doughty (25 and two goals) were all instrumental in the midfield.
For Hawthorn, Cyril Rioli starred with four goals and Brad Sewell (31 disposals), Jordan Lewis (31) and second-gamer Beau Muston (26) all battled hard.
The Hawks rolled into town riding the momentum of four wins from their past five starts, but the resurgence came to a halt in the first quarter.
Adelaide, through ball magnets Scott Thompson, David Mackay and Michael Doughty, piled on its best opening term of the year to lead by 30 points at the first change.
NAB Rising Star nominee Patrick Dangerfield got the home side on the board with a clever toe-poke in the goal square.
Lance Franklin grabbed the Hawks’ first after out-bodying Nathan Bock, but that would be his sole contribution for the term.
The Crows tackled, chased and harassed the Hawks into error and were dangerous and direct on the turnover, slamming on five unanswered goals.
Two goals to Walker gave Adelaide a handy lead and singles to Knights, Kurt Tippett and Bernie Vince pushed the margin out to 30 points.
The Hawks’ trademark foot skills were deplorable and it was only the magic of Rioli that kept them in the game.
The young maestro added a clever boundary line snap to his six first-quarter possessions, but Knights stretched the lead back to six goals with three running bounces and an accurate shot from outside 50m.
Rioli continued his one-man show in the second quarter, but couldn’t prevent the Hawks from succumbing to their worst first half since late 2007.
Rioli added his side’s only two goals of the term, while the clinical Crows maintained their dominance with another five.
Jason Porplyzia ruined his perfect set-shot record with a rare miss, but Doughty, who had the job on Hawks’ skipper Sam Mitchell, restored the 30-point buffer with two goals in 10 minutes.
Hawthorn had more of the ball than the home side, but missed its targets and coach Alastair Clarkson got a dose of his own medicine in the form of Adelaide’s 18-man zone.
Walker stepped up his campaign for a NAB Rising Star nomination with three goals straight, to take his tally to five, in a purple patch before half time.
The Hawks responded by sending Franklin to full-back but the margin was already out to 48 points.
Hawthorn emerged from the main break with a sense of urgency, while the Crows developed a familiar case of third-quarter stage fright.
Chance Bateman ignited the Hawks with a blind turn, side step and goal in the opening four minutes.
Mitchell, Brad Sewell (13 third-quarter disposals) and Jordan Lewis got on top on the middle and, for the first time in the game, the reigning premier posed a genuine offensive threat.
Franklin goaled from a rare touch inside-50 and Rioli picked up his fourth to cut the lead back to 30 points.
The Crows, who managed just one behind for the term, appeared powerless to halt Hawthorn comeback and when Bateman kicked his second the deficit was just 23 points.
Adelaide emerged from its third-quarter daze with two scoring opportunities in the first five minutes, but it took a Knights’ bomb from the edge of the centre square to snap the 40-minute goal drought.
Lewis responded with a major for Hawthorn, but a fourth goal to Knights kept the visitors at bay.
Franklin goaled as the rain set in, but a brilliant snap from Richard Douglas at the other end ensured an important victory.
The Crows will now prepare to take on Essendon at the MCG, while Hawthorn will play the Swans at the SCG.
Adelaide 7.1 12.4 12.5 16.10 (106)
Hawthorn 2.1 4.4 8.6 12.7 (79)
GOALS
Adelaide: Walker 5, Knights 4, Doughty 2, Dangerfield, Vince, Tippett, Douglas, Stevens
Hawthorn: Rioli 4, Franklin 3, Bateman 2, Lewis, Roughead, Dew
BEST
Adelaide: Thompson, Bock, Walker, Knights, Doughty, Rutten, Goodwin, Vince
Hawthorn: Rioli, Sewell, Lewis, Bateman, Ellis, Muston
INJURIES
Adelaide: Vince (nose)
Hawthorn: Brown (corked thigh)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Chamberlain, Findlay, Ryan
Official crowd: 40,035 at AAMI Stadium
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The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs.
