Hawthorn have surged past a sharp-shooting Adelaide outfit in a thrilling come-from-behind three-point victory over the Crows at UTAS Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

A five-goal debut from Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe wasn’t enough to get the Crows over the line, with the Hawks emerging victorious 15.12 (102) to 16.3 (99).

Adelaide had several chances in the last quarter to steal victory but couldn't get past Hawthorn's scramble.

The victory is Hawthorn's first since Round One, when they came from 39 points down to beat Essendon.

In just his fifth top-grade game, Hawks young gun Jacob Koschitzke kicked three goals in a free-flowing opening quarter that set the tone for the match.

Adelaide, who hadn't played at the University of Tasmania Stadium since 2010, went on a six-goal run in the second term to open up a 84-59 halftime lead.

Remarkably, the Crows scored 15 goals straight without registering a behind.

Eighteen-year-old Thilthorpe, last year's No.2 draft pick, was a colossus up front and grabbed several pack marks to score three goals in succession.

Thilthorpe also netted 16 disposals and one goal assist after shaking off early nerves, resulting in turnovers off his first two touches.

He opened the scoring in the third term with a mark on the goal line, with the Crows threatening to run away with the contest.

But the Hawks mustered a revival to reduce the margin to 97-84 heading into the final term.

They got to within a point when Mitch Lewis slotted his second of the day, a series of behinds giving them the lead as they held the Crows to just two points for the quarter.

Jaeger O'Meara topped the possession count for Hawthorn with 31, while Rory Laird had a game-high 32 touches.

Koschitzke ended the day with five goals, while Adelaide’s Taylor Walker celebrated his 31st birthday in style, booting three goals to cement his lead as the League’s leading goalkicker.

The Crows remain on the fringe of the eight and are now 3-3 to start the season, while Hawthorn are 2-4.

A debut to remember

It took until round six for the Crows to unveil their No.2 pick from the 2020 NAB AFL Draft. But Riley Thilthorpe did not disappoint. The 18-year-old started shakily – his first kick resulted in a turnover that led to a Hawks goal – but he soon proved he belonged at the top level. Standing at 200cm, Thilthorpe helped turn the game in Adelaide's favour in the second term, kicking three goals and causing all sorts of headaches for the Hawthorn defence. He booted his fourth early in the third quarter and finished the game with five majors from 16 disposals. Matthew Nicks warned during the week to temper expectations on Thilthorpe. Good luck telling that to Crows fans now. 

00:59

R6: Thilthorpe's trio of goals

Riley Thilthorpe boots not only his first but his second and third AFL goals.

How on earth did that go through?

Hawks recruit Tom Phillips had booted 46 goals heading into Sunday's clash, but surely none as fortuitous as this one. Gathering the ball 60 metres out, the former Magpie launched it into a crowded forward line, only to see the ball evade the clutches of teammate Tim O'Brien and a hapless Jake Kelly and roll end on end through the big sticks.

Where's Tom?

Questions will be asked of Adelaide about why medical substitute Tom Lynch wasn't ready to go when required. The Crows lost youngster Will Hamill to a leg injury during the third quarter but Lynch was nowhere to be seen. In fact, the 30-year-old, who was dropped from the team that lost to Fremantle last week, didn't even have his jumper on and wasn't strapped. He eventually emerged with 16 minutes remaining in the final quarter, but failed to have any impact. It might have been a decision that cost the Crows the four points.

HAWTHORN                   5.2        9.5       13.6      15.12 (102)
ADELAIDE                      4.0       14.0       16.1         16.3 (99)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Koschitzke 5, Breust 3, Lewis 2, O'Brien, Phillips, Scrimshaw, O'Meara, Impey
Adelaide: Thilthorpe 5, Walker 3, Himmelberg 2, McAdam 2, Schoenberg, Keays, Seedsman, McHenry

BEST
Hawthorn: O'Meara, Koschitzke, Jiath, Mitchell, Impey, Frost
Adelaide: Keays, Laird, Thilthorpe, Seedsman, O'Brien

INJURIES
Hawthorn: Burgoyne (ankle)
Adelaide: Hamill (leg) 

SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Finn Maginness (replaced S.Burgoyne)
Adelaide: Tom Lynch (replaced W.Hamill)

CROWD: TBC at University of Tasmania Stadium