Dawson has moved from defence to the midfield in the past two matches - and both have been wins for his Crows ahead of Thursday night's encounter against the unbeaten Blues.
Dawson has been a star performer in both games - a fact noted by Cripps.
"He has been pretty good, hasn't he, probably best-on (ground) in the last two games," Cripps told reporters on Wednesday.
"The best thing about him is he's tough, he's efficient, he damages you.
"But they have got a lot of weapons in there ... our job as a midfield is to try and win that battle and get territory."
Dawson, asked if he would play on Carlton's prime mover Cripps, tried to remained tight-lipped.
"I can't say. We will probably come across each other a bit more than we have in the past," he said.
"I'm looking forward to it. Going into the midfield, I have enjoyed it ... I'm loving my time in there."
Dawson said his seventh-placed Crows were relishing the prospect of hosting the Blues, who have banked three consecutive wins after a season-opening draw.
"We know how good their footy can be," he said.
"They're the benchmark. They haven't lost for a reason."
Cripps' fellow midfielder Sam Walsh will play his first game of the season after recovering from a back injury.
"He has done a huge block of work," Cripps said,
"He has been pretty patient with it, the way he has rehabbed has all gone to plan ... I expect him to come in and hit the ground running.
"He probably put his hand up (for selection) two weeks ago ... the club just held him back to make sure he's right."
And Brownlow medallist Cripps said the added availability of on-ballers Matthew Kennedy and Blake Acres meant the Blues' midfield was approaching full strength.
"Adelaide play a really contested brand of footy so they are going to be really important to the way we play," he said.
"As a team we love going up against the best teams and we see them (the Crows) as one of the best teams, the way they're playing."
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