Hawthorn have broken their four-week win drought in a nine-point thriller over Adelaide in Tasmania.

But the 10.15 (75) to 9.12 (66) win has been overshadowed by a nasty head knock to star Nick Watson – who was allowed to stay out on the field for four minutes before being sent for a concussion test.

Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

While able to pass the test at half time, Watson had little impact in the second half as the Crows mounted a come back.

Darcy Fogarty had the chance to give Adelaide the lead in the dying minutes after Jarman Impey was penalised for insufficient intent – but his snap sailed wide and down the other end Blake Hardwick converted his fourth goal to seal the win.

Further souring the loss was the injury to Izak Rankine (calf) who failed to return in the third term on a cold Launceston night.

THE 3-2-1…

3. HAWKS GET THEIR BOUNCE BACK

It took more than a quarter, but Hawthorn delivered on the promise coach Sam Mitchell before the first bounce in Launceston on Thursday.

After being torched out of the middle in a disappointing loss to Melbourne last week, the Hawks were blitzed again in the first term by the Crows.

The rout started immediately, with Callum Ah Chee kicking the 100th goal of his career 12 seconds in.

Meanwhile, Lachlan McAndrew was giving first use to Izak Rankine and Jordan Dawson.

With the Crows winning six of the seven centre clearances for the term, and managing to kick two goals as a result, footage showed Mitchell apoplectic in the coaches box.

“It is very strange, isn’t it? He bemoaned how poor they were out of the centre square (last week), well they are getting smashed tonight,” Hawks great Jason Dunstall said at quarter-time.

It was anything but what Mitchell had promised when telling Kayo Sports they were looking to rectify a situation which saw them concede 10 goals against the Demons.

“It makes it really difficult to get the game played in your front half when you are conceding scores like that, so we know we need to improve that part of our game,” Mitchell said.

James Sicily reacts during the match in Tasmania.Source: Getty Images

“We need to make sure we can control their stoppage game because they’re very good in that area as well. I’d expect a big work rate rise from the lads tonight.”

Be it Mitchell’s fury, or the returning Conor Nash finding the pace of the game in the second term, or the “tactical adjustments” Mitchell flagged, they responded in style.

With Jai Newcombe turning things round in the middle, the Hawks booted five goals in succession in the second term to turn a two goal deficit at quarter-time into a 13-point lead at the main break as they seized control, before adding the first two of the third term as well.

“Well, the effort turned around in that second quarter,” Fox Footy expert analyst Leigh Montagna said.

“We’ll touch on the first first quarter … but they cranked up their pressure game, they won the contested possessions and clearances in that second quarter, which they were nowhere near in the opening term, so they got the response that I’m sure Sam Mitchell was after.

“And when they got the ball inside 50, they were able to convert. It is disappointing for Adelaide to drop off like they did, but full credit to the Hawks for the fightback.”

Sam Mitchell was losing it in the box early.Source: FOX SPORTS

The switch of Blake Hardwick into attack was a factor, with the versatile Hawk sent forward to try and limit the influence of Josh Worrell but offering far more than a defensive force.

“It is great coaching because they have got three goals – and four shots of goals – from a guy who has taken an intercept defender to the goal face,” Fox Footy pundit David King said at three-quarter time.

With star spearhead Jack Gunston absent through injury, Hardwick’s presence was important and it got even better when he kicked the sealer late in the piece with his fourth goal.

Jarmen Impey, who was superb in the Doug Nicholls Round encounter, was full of praise for the makeshift forward.

“He is an absolute star. Very underrated,” he said of Hardwick.

“We want him up forward and we want him down back. As you can see tonight, this is why we love him.”

Nick Watson, too, was important in creating space for his fellow forwards as the Hawks dominated play for much of the second and third terms and finished with 11 score involvements.

“They have just had too many aces for them in the front of the ground,” King said.

2. THE ADELAIDE AUDIT

If Adelaide is to stake a claim later this season, much will rest on the fitness of their key forward Riley Thilthorpe and whether he is able to produce his best footy.

With the Crows under siege last night in the second and third terms, they needed a spark and it was Thilthorpe who helped them turn the clash into a thriller.

The 23-year-old has been troubled by a back problem throughout the season and missed the clash at home against the Kangaroos a week ago in a bid to become freer in his movement.

The score sheet will show that he failed to kick a goal in Launceston, and that is not ideal given veteran forward Tex Walker was absent as he resumes his comeback from injury in the SANFL this weekend.

But Thilthorpe’s ability to provide a contest and free up space for his teammates was critical as the Crows kicked four goals in succession to close to within a point late in the match.

Izak Rankine celebrates a goal before he finished the match on the bench due to injury.Source: Getty Images

Exactly where the Crows, which were minor premiers last year, sit when it comes to premiership contenders this year is up in the air as they reach the bye.

As noted in the commentary, they were in a similar position at this stage last year before going on a rampage in the second half of the season, only to come up short in September.

It is possible they will retain their place in the eight at the end of the weekend, but at 6-5, they have work to do to further their claims of challenging later in the season.

Maintaining consistency across the four quarters is the key and the clash in Launceston was a case in point, with the Crows brilliant early and late but nowhere near it in the middle.

Aside from a thrashing against the Lions in Brisbane, the Crows have lost their other four matches by less than two goals, but they are yet to reach the heights of last season.

1. ADDING INJURY TO INSULT

Izak Rankine started the match on fire in a demonstration of just how much he has grown as a midfield influence and a reminder for Crows fans of what might have been last year.

Rankine had kicked a goal and gathered 17 touches before succumbing to a calf injury in the third term, with the Crows clearly hoping it is not a problem that will force him out for long.

As former Richmond great Jack Riewoldt said; “This is a big story.”

It is indisputable the Crows fortunes in September last year were hindered by the suspension to the versatile star for a slur he delivered to Isaac Quaynor late in the season.

And at the start of this season, when he was struggling to find his rhythm on returning from his ban, the Crows were unable to match premiership contenders either.

The 26-year-old took a little while to get going after missing the season opener against Collingwood, picking up just 37 touches in his first three games against the Bulldogs, Geelong and Fremantle, which were games the Crows lost.

But since then he had been superb as the Crows worked their way back into the eight and had picked up more than 20 disposals in five of his past six games.

The Crows medical staff worked extensively on the smart forward-midfielder in the third term but Rankine, after trying to do a run-through on the boundary, was ruled out for the night.

Adelaide has the bye next week, which gives Rankine effectively 14 days to try to prove his fitness ahead of what shapes as a significant clash at home against the Cats in Rd 13.

“It is not good news for the Adelaide Crows,” ex-Crow and Blue Eddie Betts said.

In other injury news, Ah Chee also went down into the rooms in the third term, with Betts reporting he was having work done on his hand. He did return to play an important role in the Crows comeback, but was wearing a guard on his thumb.

There were concerns regarding smart Hawthorn forward Nick Watson, who underwent a concussion test after thumping the back of his head into the ground in the second term.

He waved trainers off but was pulled from the ground to undergo further assessment, but returned to the fray after passing a concussion test during the main break.

The Crows will also monitor the health of James Peatling, who smashed his face into the turf midway through the last quarter in what Riewoldt described as a “whiplash” motion.

Re-live Hawthorn vs Adelaide in our blog below!

If you can’t see the blog, tap here.

–