While Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson grapples with a multitude of problems, his Adelaide counterpart Brenton Sanderson is talking up his surging Crows.

Sanderson is trumpeting his AFL side’s recent form as they prepare to play Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.

He highlights the Crows winning eight of their past 12 games, with three of those defeats by less than 10 points.

He also notes Adelaide have beaten top-eight sides in their past four wins at Adelaide Oval.

But midway through his buoyant match-eve messages, Sanderson checks himself.

“While I have talked up our form … words mean nothing. It’s actions that are required,” he told reporters on Thursday.

Sanderson’s Crows could jump from ninth to sixth ahead of weekend fixtures with a victory against the depleted Hawks.

But while Hawthorn coach Clarkson says he has about 40 problems to fix, Sanderson has four that need urgent attention: the fitness of a key quartet.

Midfielders Patrick Dangerfield (knee), Scott Thompson (hamstring) and defensive duo Daniel Talia (corked buttock) and Ben Rutten (concussion) are not certain starters.

Sanderson says he won’t take any risk with the foursome, rating Dangerfield and Talia as the most likely to play.

“We’re not trying to hide anything,” he said.

“It’s just the reality of a six-day break and a Friday night game means we will probably have to keep a few people in the dark until the umpire bounces the ball.

“We will have to make some smart decisions when it comes to all of those players.”

Clarkson has been forced into another recast of his side due to the suspension of Brian Lake, a hamstring tear to onballer Brad Sewell and the omission of ruckman David Hale in favour of Ben McEvoy.

“We haven’t got one thing (to fix). We have got about 40 things,” Clarkson told reporters at Melbourne Airport on Thursday.

“At the minute, it looks like we’re battling a little bit because we had a really poor performance last week.

“But it will turn very quickly. We have got full faith in this group and our depth.”

Sanderson also rejected any notion of the Hawks being vulnerable despite an injury list featuring frontliners Cyril Rioli (hamstring), Josh Gibson (pectoral tear) and Bradley Hill (knee soreness).

“They’re always dangerous,” Sanderson said of Hawthorn.