"They (Hawthorn) came out and punched us in the face and we weren't sort of ready for it so it was obviously a really disappointing performance, probably one of our lower ones for the year.

"It's probably the million dollar question in footy, why teams start like that ... it's not a thing that we just go out and go 'oh yeah, we're not going to try it today', we obviously didn't do that.

"It's a hard thing to be absolutely on edge all the time but you can't allow teams to have that 10, 15 per cent (advantage) for even a quarter."

Laird said the onus was on Adelaide's players to solve the issue in Thursday night's home fixture against Richmond.

"It's a lot to do with the players, if not all of it," he said.

"There is a coaching aspect but they're not the one out there playing the games."

After starting their campaign with four-straight losses, the Crows' streak of not reaching the finals appears set to continue for a seventh consecutive season.

Laird said with Adelaide in 14th place with just four wins - already 10 premiership points adrift of eighth spot - it was futile to think of anything beyond Thursday's clash against the Tigers.

"With where our record is and where we are on the ladder ... I don't think you can look three or four weeks ahead, I don't think there's much point to that," he said.

"It starts from Thursday night. It's a quick five-day turnaround which is actually probably the best result for us, to get back and play.

"We deal with Thursday night first then we move on."

Adelaide spearhead Taylor Walker, who was substituted out of the Hawthorn game with a recurrence of a back injury, faces a fitness test on Wednesday.

The Crows have lost on-baller Matt Crouch (shoulder) for the rest of the season but captain Jordan Dawson will play against Richmond despite nursing a foot injury.

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