PUSHING closer to a top-four berth will be the aim for Hawthorn and Adelaide Crows when they meet at Adelaide Oval at 7.20pm tomorrow night.

The form

Hawthorn – WWLWL (most recent first)

Consecutive wins before the bye will see the Hawks travel west of the Victorian border with confidence.

The Hawks were too strong for the Gold Coast Suns and St Kilda before the break, winning their past two matches by 53 points and 63 points respectively.

However the team will be desperate to improve on its interstate record – with defeats to the GWS Giants and Port Adelaide leaving the reigning premiers winless on the road so far in 2015 (excluding home games in Launceston).

Adelaide Crows – WLLWW

The Crows only just managed to scrape over the line against Carlton prior to the bye, recording a nine-point victory.

That result was preceded by a narrow defeat to league leader Fremantle (11 points) and a four-goal loss to fellow top-eight contender GWS Giants.

Recent history

The Hawks have had the wood over the Crows in recent years, winning the past four games between the two clubs.

The Crows most recent win against the Hawks was in Round 1, 2011, on the back of a three-goal, three Brownlow vote performance from a then-emerging Patrick Dangerfield.

Very little has separated the Hawks and Crows in their most recent outings, with the Hawks triumphing by a combined 28 points in the clubs’ past three matches.

Sam Mitchell has led the Hawks for disposals in all three of those wins.

Ins and outs

Hawthorn

There will be no excuses for the Hawks, who will have just about a full list to choose from.

Paul Puopolo will be in contention after an injury kept him sidelined heading into the bye, but Grant Birchall, who was considered a chance to play this week, will not return from an ankle injury against the Crows.

Tough midfielder Will Langford made a successful return for VFL affiliate Box Hill Hawks before the break and will also be in the mix.

The Hawks were injury-free in their most recent win, against St Kilda, providing some good headaches for Alastair Clarkson and the Hawks’ selection committee.

Adelaide

Richard Douglas signed a new contract with the Crows this week and could be in line for a senior recall.

Douglas, alongside Jarryd Lyons and Brad Crouch, could feature at the selection table after strong performances in the SANFL before the bye.

Midfielder Mitch Grigg is out with an ankle injury, as is young defender Jake Lever, while Jake Kelly and Charlie Cameron could be under pressure to retain their senior spots.

Ricky Henderson will need to prove his fitness as he aims to return from a back injury.

Former Hawk Kyle Cheney will play his 50th AFL game.

Key players

Hawthorn

Winning the midfield battle will be pivotal, making in-form senior on-ballers Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Jordan Lewis crucial to the Hawks’ chances. 

All three featured prominently in the sides’ match last year, are in stellar form in 2015 and will prove a tough trio for the Crows to negate.

Jack Gunston has also enjoyed playing against his former club, kicking 13 goals in the last four Hawks-Crows matches.

The mobile forward led the competition for marks heading into the bye and averages 2.2 goals per game this season.

Adelaide

Patrick Dangerfield is yet to re-sign with the Crows beyond this season, but he is undoubtedly the club’s barometer.

When Dangerfield gets his hands on the ball, not only does he have an impact on the game individually, but he brings teammates into the game also.

The midfielder has been highly influential in the Crows’ past two matches, and racked up a career-best 41 disposals against Hawthorn last year.

Captain Taylor Walker and livewire small forward Eddie Betts will also require plenty of attention.

The dangerous duo has combined for 58 goals this season.

Important factors 

Shutting down Eddie Betts 

One of the best small forwards in the game, Eddie Betts has built a reputation as a match-winner.

Betts is yet to be kept goalless in 2015 and has 32 majors from his 10 matches, including a haul of six against St Kilda and bags of five against Port Adelaide and the Gold Coast Suns.

Shutting down the star Crow will be pivotal to the Hawks chances – but who will have that responsibility?

Angus Litherland completely shut down Betts in his 200^th game, restricting him to just one goal and seven disposals.

But the likes of Taylor Duryea, Shaun Burgoyne and Ben Stratton could also be options to mark Betts.

The midfield battle

Winning contested footy has been among the Hawks and Crows strengths in 2015, with both clubs ranked in the top six sides in the AFL in clearances and contested possessions.

With the likes of Hodge, Mitchell and Lewis up against Dangerfield, Scott Thompson and Rory Sloane, neither side is lacking clearance winners.

But ball use and uncontested footy will also be a crucial part of the game.

The Hawks are ranked second for disposal efficiency (74.8%) and first for uncontested possessions – compared to the Crows, who are 17^th (69.8%) for disposal efficiency and 12^th for uncontested possessions.

The run-and-carry of Isaac Smith, Bradley Hill, Billy Hartung and co. could have a massive influence on the outcome of the game.  

Roughead ready to fire

If the second half of the Hawks’ win against St Kilda is anything to go by, you sense Jarryd Roughead’s luck is just about to turn.

The key forward has found plenty of the ball this year, averaging 18.1 disposals per game, compared to career average of 13.8

Roughead bounced back from two goalless games with a three-goal effort against the Saints – and in the corresponding round last year, he kicked a career-best eight goals.

It could be a sign of things to come on Thursday night, who will likely look to Daniel Talia or Kyle Hartigan to stop the Hawks star.