Blake Hardwick has booted four goals in a role up forward to help Hawthorn hold off Adelaide by nine points in their home-away-from-home in Tasmania.
The Hawks extended their winning streak in Launceston to 12 games on Thursday night with a 10.15 (75) to 9.12 (66) victory.
It came two days after the club was told by the AFL their association with the island state would finish at the end of 2027 ahead of the Tasmania Devils’ entry into the competition.
The pain was compounded for the Crows, who lost gun midfielder Izak Rankine to a calf problem early in the third quarter.
Adelaide went on a run of four goals to reduce the margin to one point before veteran Hardwick stepped up with a pack mark inside 50 and first goal since round 12 last season with less than three minutes to play.
Down 63-43 heading into the final quarter, Adelaide rocketed back into the contest with back-to-back majors to Darcy Fogarty and Jake Soligo in a matter of minutes.
When Callum Ah Chee booted truly it appeared a Crows comeback would be completed, but the Hawks held strong despite kicking just one final-quarter goal.
Adelaide opened the scoring at UTAS Stadium after just 16 seconds when Ah Chee streaked away for a goal and got out to an early 25-8 advantage as Jordan Dawson and Rankine ran riot.
Hardwick picked up two first-quarter majors to keep his side in the hunt and just 12 points behind at quarter time.
The Crows threatened to pull away when big man Lachlan McAndrew snapped successfully early in the second, but Hawthorn came to life with a run of five goals leading into halftime.
Hawks livewire Nick Watson nailed two of those before being taken from the field for assessment after copping two head knocks.
He was cleared and returned for the second half with his side opening the stanza with a 47-34 advantage.
Hawthorn kicked the first two after halftime in a run of seven majors before Adelaide’s Zac Taylor snapped on the run in the dying stages of the third.
Dawson was among the Hawks’ best with 28 disposals, four clearances and one goal, while the Crows’ Wayne Milera was the game-high possession-getter with 32.