Thursday night footy: Star Crow returns
Hawthorn have regained premiership small forward Paul Puopolo for Thursday night’s clash with Adelaide, while the Crows have recalled newly re-signed midfielder Richard Douglas after a long break.
Puopolo has recovered from the foot sprain he suffered against Gold Coast in Launceston in round nine and comes back into the side at the expense of Angus Litherland, who drops back to the emergency list.
The Hawks had also hoped to regain important defender Grant Birchall but he misses another match with the ankle injury he suffered in round eight.
The Crows have also made just one change for the Adelaide Oval encounter with Richard Douglas replacing Mitch Grigg, who is out with an ankle injury.
Douglas, who signed a new three-year deal with the club this week, missed six weeks with a foot injury he suffered in Adelaide’s loss to Port Adelaide.
The Crows had been hoping to bring back key midfielder Brad Crouch, but he suffered pain in the foot he broke during the NAB Challenge and will have scans to check the extent of the problem.
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Hawthorn and the Crows are both coming off the bye and have won six of their first 10 matches to sit sixth and seventh on the ladder respectively.
The match celebrates the Crows’ first AFL match 25 years ago, in which the new team had a comprehensive victory against the Hawks.
FORM GUIDE
Adelaide v Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval 7.50pm
Head to Head: Crows 18 Hawks 17
Last clash: Round 17 2014 – Hawks 15.14 (104) bt Crows 14.8 (92) at Adelaide Oval
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Tab Sportsbet: Crows $3.00 Hawks $1.39
William Hill: Crows $3.10 Hawks $1.37
It will be a big night at Adelaide Oval on Thursday when the Crows celebrate the 25th anniversary of their arrival in the AFL. Adelaide famously beat Hawthorn by 86 points in their inaugural match but the Hawks will be out to spoil the party this time around. Both sides have won six of their first 10 matches and are fresh from the bye. The reigning premiers will be desperate to work their way into top four contention and need to kick off the back half of the season with a win.
Key: To tag or not to tag? Adelaide coach Phil Walsh doesn’t like taggers but the Hawks’ dangerous onball brigade may force a re-think. Of course, Walsh has his own midfield weapon in Patrick Dangerfield, who Hawthorn will need to counter to come away with the points.
Tip: Hawks by 15 points
FULL TEAMS
Adelaide Crows
Backs: Kelly Hartigan Laird
Half-backs: Cheney Talia Van Berlo
Centres: Sloane Thompson Smith
Half-forwards: Cameron Lynch Mackay
Forwards: Betts Walker Wright
Followers: Jacobs Dangerfield
Rover: Douglas
Interchange: Jenkins Brown Ellis-Yolmen M Crouch
Emergencies: Podsiadly Lyons Knight
Hawthorn
Backs: Burgoyne Lake Mitchell
Half-backs: Stratton Frawley Gibson
Centres: Hill Hodge Smith
Half-forwards: Breust Schoenmakers Gunston
Forwards: Rioli Roughead Puopolo
Followers: Ceglar Lewis
Rover: Shiels
Interchange: Hartung Suckling Duryea Hale
Emergencies: Litherland W Langford O’Rourke
– with AAP
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