Adelaide and Hawthorn have met 35 times. The Crows hold a narrow overall advantage, 18-17.

Thursday night’s clash will be part of the celebrations of Adelaide’s 25^th season in the AFL. The Club’s first-ever match was against the Hawks at Football Park in 1991.

It will be the Club’s second-ever ‘home’ Thursday night fixture following on from the success of the Round Nine win over Collingwood at Adelaide Oval last season. The Crows also played on Thursday night against Geelong at Simonds Stadium in Round One, 2014.

It will be a crucial game for both the sixth-placed Hawks and seventh-placed Crows, who are separated only by percentage on the AFL ladder.

Hawthorn recorded consecutive wins for the first time this season with victory over St Kilda prior to the bye, while Adelaide outlasted Carlton to also secure its sixth win.

The Crows have lost five of their past six matches against Hawthorn. However, the last three games between the two sides have been decided by an average of only nine points.

A crowd of 50,321 turned out to watch the most recent meeting between the two sides at Adelaide Oval in Round 17 last season – the highest home and away crowd for a match between the Crows and Hawks.

On that night, forward Josh Jenkins kicked an equal-career high five goals (a feat he matched in Adelaide’s last game against Carlton) as the Hawks prevailed by 12 points.

Patrick Dangerfield racked up a personal best 41 possessions to earn the three Brownlow Medal votes. Dangerfield also got top votes against Hawthorn in Round Six, 2014.

Crows defender Kyle Cheney will play his 50^th AFL game against his former club on Thursday night.

Hawthorn is a high-possession team, ranked No.1 in the competition for total disposals.

The Hawks (227.7) and Crows (221.7) are first and second in the AFL for total kicks.

Hawthorn has the second-best disposal efficiency rate (74.8 per cent) behind Fremantle.

In a reflection of their want and ability to maintain possession of the ball, the slick Hawks rank No.1 for uncontested possessions (261.5 average). The neat-kicking Hawks also average more uncontested marks (92.5) than any team in the League, while Adelaide is fourth.

However, Hawthorn averages the second-lowest percentage of contested possessions (34.8). In contrast, the Crows are second in contested possessions and 14^th for percentage of uncontested possession.

Hawthorn star Jordan Lewis is averaging more possessions (32.6) than any player in the AFL. Sam Mitchell (29.6) and Luke Hodge (29.3) are also in the top 10.

Mitchell is a key link-up player for the Hawks, ranked No.1 in the AFL for handball receives (15.2 average). Lewis leads the way for inside 50ms, averaging 6.0 per game.

The Hawks (first) and Crows (fourth) are both top four in the League for marks inside 50m.

Adelaide is the best clearance team in the competition, averaging 43.2 per game, narrowly ahead of the Hawks, who average 42.4.

Hawthorn averages more goals (16) per game than any other team. The Crows are fourth with an average of 13.7 goals a match. Hawthorn also averages the most inside 50ms.

Andy Otten (Round 12, 2008), Rory Sloane (Round 20, 2009), Brodie Smith (Round One, 2011) and Sam Kerridge (Round Three, 2012) all made their AFL debuts against Hawthorn.

Drop-off defender Josh Gibson averages the second-most marks (8.4) of any player in the game.

Five Crows and five Hawks have kicked double-figure goals this season. Eddie Betts (32), Taylor Walker (26), Josh Jenkins (16), Tom Lynch (15) and Patrick Dangerfield (12) for Adelaide, and Jarryd Roughead (23), Luke Breust (23), Jack Gunston (22), Cyril Rioli (13) and Paul Puopolo (11) for Hawthorn.

Rioli leads the competition for score assists (23), two ahead of Crow Tom Lynch in second spot.