THIS head-to-head battle could rage for a decade, and as a starting point, should have the eyes of the AFL world on it at Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon.
When Gold Coast hosted Adelaide at People First Stadium in round four, it squeaked home with a one-point win, but not before one of the more memorable, and dramatic, finishes of 2025.
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Much of it centred around Mac Andrew and Riley Thilthorpe.
On that warm spring afternoon, Adelaide's monster key forward had torn the game open with five goals, most coming against Sam Collins, while Andrew had his hands full with veteran Taylor Walker, who kicked three.
But with the game on the line in the final minute, Thilthorpe and Andrew went head-to-head.
After Thilthorpe gave away a free kick 20m from goal, Andrew rushed in to tell him all about it. Moments later, the young Sun was forced to back up his chat, using his Inspector Gadget right arm to spoil what looked an almost certain mark for the Crow that would have given him a shot at goal to tie or win.
That wasn't the end of it.
Following the final siren, the pair continued jawing at each other, forcing players from both teams to rush in and separate them as the Suns' theme song blared.
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Since that game 15 weeks ago, Thilthorpe and Andrew have flourished, ensuring Sunday's battle is must-see viewing.
The 201cm Crow has moved to equal sixth in the Coleman Medal with his 39 goals and is fresh off a match-winning bag of six against the Western Bulldogs.
Andrew, a lighter-framed 202cm, has gone from an eye-catching, intercepting third tall defender, to a more reliable lockdown key in the absence of injured Charlie Ballard.
He has the odd slip-up – a missed hack off the ground against Greater Western Sydney that led to a pivotal goal and being cleaned bowled against Essendon to cost another – but the vast majority of his work has been first class.
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"I love Mac," his coach Damien Hardwick said at a recent press conference.
"Mac has had to play more on the best designated forwards. There's been challenges. He reminds me of Alex Rance … this guy is capable of greatness.
"He's going to make some mistakes along the way, but he's still playing to a very, very high level at the age of 21."
With his outgoing nature and propensity to find the spotlight, it's easy to overlook the nuts and bolts of his game.
Andrew has lost just eight of his 43 one-on-one defensive contests (or 18.6 per cent) this year, which is almost identical to All-Australians Jacob Weitering (15.4 per cent) and Cal Wilkie (15.6), along with respected Giant Jack Buckley (19.1 per cent).
It's a better mark than Collins and Brisbane captain Harris Andrews.
More importantly, it shows a level of development from 2024, where Andrew lost nine of 30 such contests (30 per cent).
Thilthorpe is a different beast.
Having hauled in the equal third most contested marks alongside Sam Taylor, and trailing only Max Gawn and Sam Darcy, he's also taken the fourth most marks inside 50.
Having recently turned 23, Thilthorpe looms as the ultimate challenge for the young Sun.
Whether Collins overcomes a calf niggle or not to play, let's hope Hardwick plays ball and gives the fans what they want at Adelaide Oval.
Bring the popcorn.
