Izak Rankine celebrates a goal during round 21, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

THERE are momentum swings, and then there’s Adelaide and Hawthorn playing Friday night footy.

You couldn’t script it. The first five goals went the way of the Hawks. The next eight to the Crows. Then five back Hawthorn’s way.

Momentum was the most significant, but least tangible metric in Adelaide’s 15.11 (101) to 13.9 (87) victory at Adelaide Oval on Friday evening.

CROWS v HAWKS Full match coverage and stats

But it was the pure power of Riley Thilthorpe up forward that ultimately swung the game in Adelaide’s favour. The big forward was unstoppable on the ground, and in the air, as he kicked four important goals and added a point of difference when moving through the ruck.

And then there was Izak Rankine (three goals, three goal assists), whose ability to make something from nothing gave Adelaide something when it needed it the most.

Pure desperation bled from both teams as they recklessly threw their bodies at the contest and slung the ball back and forth. And then there was the pressure. When each club was able to dial up the pressure, and adhere to the ‘no broken tackles’ mindset, they found themselves on top.

When star Hawk Will Day (19 disposals, one goal) got off to a blistering start, it was Jordan Dawson (21 disposals, 11 tackles, two goals) who quelled him. Then, when it was James Sicily (11 marks, nine intercepts) who took control, that’s where Dawson went next.

The work of Josh Worrell (20 disposals, seven intercepts) in defence was warrior-like, without his typical backline partner Max Michalanney alongside him.

There was a sense of shadowboxing across the opening nine minutes as both sides felt each other out and brought the heat.

Once Jack Gunston broke through for the first goal, however, the Hawks got moving. Able to trap the ball in attack it was curiously their ground ball game inside 50 that worried Adelaide’s defence the most.

Despite the quartet of tall forwards in Gunston, Mitch Lewis, Calsher Dear, and Mabior Chol seeming intimidating to contain, it was the work of smaller forwards and midfielders like Dylan Moore, and Massimo D’Ambrosio that set things up in attack.

Jack Ginnivan’s team-first intent was clear, as he worked to set others up for opportunities on goal, while also kicking two goals of his own.

The loss adds an element of uncertainty to Hawthorn’s run toward finals. Despite still sitting fifth on the ladder, the squeeze is on, with Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, the Western Bulldogs, and Gold Coast breathing down its neck.

From a different code
Once the Crows got on a roll in the second quarter, they could simply do no wrong. Izak Rankine found himself chasing a loose ball toward the behind line, and instead of conceding the rushed behind, he soccered it back into the goal square, where a waiting Riley Thilthorpe was able to knock it through for one of the more remarkable goals. Reminiscent of an expertly designed set play in the round ball game, it will surely be included across plenty of highlight reels for some time to come.

O captain, my captain
His Crows had been jumped, and took a 26-point deficit into the first break, so being the leader Jordan Dawson is, he took it upon himself to rally the troops. It wasn’t by way of inspirational words, instead, it was by inspirational actions. Heading straight to the midfield group to start the second quarter, he got to work. Two impressive goals, and the ability to wrestle back control through the middle, it was upon their captain’s shoulders that the Crows fought back into the game.

Where there’s a Will, there’s a Day
The Hawks kicked the first five goals of the game, stunning Adelaide and its home crowd alike, and the starting point of it all was star midfielder Will Day. In the opening quarter alone, Day recorded nine disposals and six clearances to help Hawthorn to control around stoppage and plenty of forward thrust. As soon as his access to the ball was limited, with Dawson taking the responsibility from the opening bounce of the second term, the Hawks struggled to generate the effective territory game they enjoyed in the opening quarter.

ADELAIDE                  1.1    7.7     9.9     15.11 (101)
HAWTHORN               5.3    5.3    11.5    13.9 (87)

GOALS 
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 4, Rankine 3, Walker 3, Dawson 2, Fogarty, Neal-Bullen, Soligo
Hawthorn: Gunston 4, Ginnivan 2, Moore, Watson, Chol, Nash, Day, Lewis, D’Ambrosio

BEST 
Adelaide: Dawson, Thilthorpe, Curtin, Rankine, Neal-Bullen, Worrell
Hawthorn: Day, D’Ambrosio, Ginnivan, Sicily, Impey, Battle

INJURIES 
Adelaide: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil

SUBSTITUTES 
Adelaide: Chayce Jones (replaced Brayden Cook in the third term)
Hawthorn: James Worpel (replaced Calsher Dear in the third term)

Crowd: 50,654 at Adelaide Oval