Nathan Lyon snared 12 wickets in his last Adelaide Oval Test, but it was the circumstances that remain far more important than the haul itself.

Last summer's Test was Australia's first after  the death of Phillip Hughes. For some of Hughes' South Australian  teammates, returning to playing compounded their grief. But for Lyon, who was playing in the match when Hughes was fatally injured, it was catharsis.

"No doubt that helped," the off-spinner said of Australia's dramatic day-five victory against India, in which he took seven second-innings wickets.

"That game is pretty special for a lot of reasons, obviously . . . I look back at that game with a lot of pride and a lot of memories. It's one of those games that's going to stick with me for the rest of my life and it's pretty special. I look back at it a fair bit."

A year on, Lyon is grateful to be marking the anniversary in the presence of his teammates, as they begin another Test at Adelaide Oval.

"We're all pretty close mates so we're always talking about a few different things," Lyon said.

"It's going to be an important week for us to stick together.

"We always stick together anyway, but especially in this situation to come out and pay the ultimate respect to Hughesy and his family is probably the biggest thing for us.

"Phil would only want us to go out there and play well and win a game of cricket for Australia. We're going to come out and try our best to do that.

"We want to pay that ultimate respect, but also be there [for each other] and support each other, each and every one [of us]."

New Zealand were playing in the United Arab Emirates at the time of Hughes' death. Their condolences were reflected in play in their Test against Pakistan being postponed by a day, and by the bowlers' refusal to engage in short-pitched bowling, given the circumstances of the incident at the SCG.

"I think it was pretty clear in Sharjah a year ago around Phillip's death, how we responded," Black Caps coach Mike Hesson said. "A number of players in the side were affected in different ways and they'll certainly show that in their own way, whether that's [as part of] a particular tribute or not."

The players in the day-night Test will wear black armbands to mark the anniversary, while there will also be a visual tribute to Hughes shown on the Adelaide Oval big screens.