Adelaide have swept aside Hawthorn for a second-straight win to start the AFL season, emerging 24-point victors in a combative match at the MCG.

The Crows overturned a four-goal quarter-time deficit to win 16.17 (113) to 13.11 (89) on Saturday afternoon.

Powered by Rory Sloane’s tackling and Tom Lynch’s all-around effort, Adelaide worked into the contest to win their first battle with the Hawks since 2011.

The defeat also condemns Hawthorn to their first 0-2 start since 2009, the last time the modern-day powerhouse missed the finals.

Coach Alastair Clarkson’s side can have no complaints with the result after being thoroughly worked over by the Crows.

Hawthorn jumped out of the blocks, putting five of the first six goals on the board – all from small forwards Luke Bruest, Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo – while another diminutive figure left his mark. In his first contest in AFL football, debutant Teia Miles collided with Josh Jenkins to leave the towering Crow worse for wear.

He departed the ground in an ambulance with a suspected punctured lung.

Puopolo pulled in a mark of the year contender in the second term but Adelaide had put the cramps on the Hawks’ scoring.

By the third quarter, Adelaide hit the front through a Mitch McGovern goal, bookended by two sparkling Eddie Betts majors.

For his first trick, Betts circled a static James Frawley to kick a fine running goal.
Five minutes later, he took a hand-off from the impressive Sam Jacobs on the boundary line, running inside and kicking a checkside goal.

Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead had set shots either side of the last change to return his side to the lead but missed both.

Adelaide made the Hawks pay, slamming on four unanswered goals including two clutch running efforts by David Mackay.

Sloane was paramount in the fourth term, gathering 13 touches for the quarter and laying 16 tackles for the match.

Lynch was mighty with 31 disposals and 14 marks, with Jacobs and Charlie Camerson among the Crows best.

For Hawthorn, Tom Mitchell (38 disposals) and Jaeger O’Meara (37 disposals) worked hard and Puopolo was lively.

– AAP