Hawks coach Sam Mitchell was taken aback as he witnessed the Crows pile on eight of the first nine goals during a first-quarter demolition of Carlton in last week's Gather Round opener.
It served as a stark warning of a vastly improved Adelaide's enhanced capabilities this season, ahead of Sunday's meeting in Launceston.
"We all watched that game. It was the start of Gather Round and it was a big moment for them," Mitchell said.
"We all wondered how they would handle that amount of pressure and they really ate it up, didn't they?
"They dominated the first 15 minutes of that game in particular and they played some fantastic football."
Adelaide's strong form line extends further back to the point where they are now on the verge of a fourth-straight win for the first time since Matthew Nicks took over as coach in 2020.
The Crows sit seventh entering round six and appear to be a serious finals contender, having finished in the bottom five for the last three seasons.
"If you look at them statistically over the last three weeks, they're the form team in the competition," Mitchell said.
"We've got our work cut out but we've got a few plans that we think can trouble them and we know that we have to be on our game to make sure that they don't put us away as well.
"It's an exciting time to play them when they're on the back of three wins and we're looking forward to the game."
Hawthorn have called up ruckman Max Lynch for his first game of the year, replacing Lloyd Meek.
It is hoped the 24-year-old will bring physicality in partnership with Ned Reeves in opposition to in-form Crows big man Reilly O'Brien and Riley Thilthorpe.
"Max has worked really hard and his past two games in particular at Box Hill he has been the dominant big man," Mitchell said.
"He was giving himself a lot of chances earlier in the year and getting his hands on a lot of footy, but not actually finishing work.
"His physicality around the ball has been really good."
Adelaide named an unchanged line-up for their seventh all-time trip to the Hawks' home away from home in Launceston.
It is just the Crows' second visit since 2010, following a three-point defeat two years ago.
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