Geelong's attacking ace Tom Hawkins has kicked four goals and produced a game-busting burst in a spirited 19-point away win over Adelaide.
Hawkins slotted three goals in a dozen minutes after the Crows briefly hit the front in the third quarter of Geelong's 14.12 (96) to 11.11 (77) victory at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
The 35-year-old's match-turning feats were decisive in Geelong banking consecutive wins to open their season.
Adelaide now have two losses ahead of a testing trip to Fremantle next weekend.
Hawkins, in his 349th AFL game, was dominant while Tom Stewart (28 disposals) was superb in his 150th, taking 11 marks - 10 of them intercepts, an AFL record.
"It's hard to believe with what he's given our footy club that he's only played 150 games," Cats coach Chris Scott said of the five-time All Australian.
"That might be up there with the best 150 games ever played.
"I am biased obviously but the position he plays, he is just special."
Gryan Miers (three goals, 26 disposals) was another stand-out, skipper Patrick Dangerfield collected 23 possessions and 10 inside 50s against his former club and Max Holmes (24 touches) was creative from halfback.
Adelaide's Darcy Fogarty, Izak Rankine, Taylor Walker and Chris Burgess kicked two goals apiece.
Midfielder Matt Crouch gathered a match-high 38 disposals and Rory Laird (29 touches) was also busy but the Crows were on the back foot after being jumped by Geelong in the opening quarter.
The visitors kicked four consecutive goals, created a match-high 26-point lead late in the quarter and led 6.3 to 3.2 at quarter-time.
The tide turned in general play, but only slightly on the scoreboard, as Adelaide logged a whopping 24 inside 50s but could only muster 2.3 for the second term.
Geelong led 7.5 to 5.5 at halftime but the advantage rapidly disappeared in the third quarter. When Rankine snapped accurately 10 minutes in, the Crows held a one-point lead.
Enter Hawkins.
The big Cat snared three of four Geelong goals in a game-turning 12 minutes.
"Getting the ball in to Tom is pretty good policy for us," coach Scott said.
"And he finished nicely and was largely able to steady us. There were others as well but he was certainly influential."
Hawkins' spree was punctuated by a ground invader who ran into contested play.
Once discovered, Adelaide's Matt Crouch grabbed him, the culprit escaped and tried to flee, only to be literally collared and brought to ground by Crow Ben Keays.
Hawkins soon after logged his fourth goal and his team led by four goals at three-quarter-time, 12.7 to 8.7.
The 44,758-strong pro-Crows crowd sniffed a comeback when a Reilly O'Brien goal left them 16 points down with seven minutes left but they couldn't bridge the gap.
"Although we had our chances, we just lacked composure," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said.
"We just weren't able to execute by foot going inside 50 and give ourselves the best chance to score."
