An ice-cool Darcy Fogarty has nailed a boundary-line goal in the dying stages to secure Adelaide a fourth AFL win in a row and leave a plucky Hawthorn agonisingly short.
The Crows trailed by nine points with mere minutes remaining at University of Tasmania Stadium on Sunday afternoon, before Izak Rankine gave them some life with a snap goal on the run.
With his side behind by three, Fogarty snaffled a mark with less than two minutes remaining and nailed the kick from a tight angle.
The Crows held their nerve to triumph 11.13 (79) to 11.10 (76).
It is the first time they have won four in a row under coach Matthew Nicks, who took the reins in 2020.
The result leaves Hawthorn at the foot of the ladder with one win from their opening six matches.
It was their second tight loss in as many rounds after a heartbreaking two-point defeat at the hands of the Giants.
Adelaide's Taylor Walker kicked a game-high four goals, while Hawk Fergus Greene picked up three including a crucial major in the final term that put his team ahead by 13 points.
Hawthorn turned up the defensive heat from the outset, registering 32 tackles in the first quarter - the best of any side in an opening term this season.
There were 165 tackles in the match, the most of any game in 2023.
Hawthorn were without Max Lynch for the majority of the contest, with the ruckman substituted out in the second quarter after failing a concussion test.
It was Lynch's latest such setback, after he missed multiple matches at different stages last season due to ongoing effects of head knocks.
The match was tit-for-tat throughout, with no side leading by more than three points at the breaks.
Adelaide's Rory Sloane topped the overall possession count with 30, alongside his seven tackles and one goal assist.
Conor Nash was among Hawthorn's best with a team-high 28 disposals and seven clearances, as well as a bone-rattling tackle on Jake Soligo in the third term.
It was Adelaide's first win in Launceston since 2005.
