IF LAST week was bad by Gold Coast, Saturday night was worse.

Adelaide did what it should have at Metricon Stadium – won easily (95 points), boosted their percentage and ran players back into form – but the Suns were a disaster.

Last week against Richmond, Stuart Dew's men trailed by 84 points at half-time before losing by 92.

This time around, despite some late goals to the home team, Adelaide was slightly more ruthless, converting a 64-point half-time advantage into a 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) victory.

Eddie Betts returned to form against the Suns. Picture: AFL Photos



Gold Coast will now almost surely win the wooden spoon with its 12th straight loss, a game plus significant percentage behind next week's opponent Carlton.

It took five minutes for Eddie Betts to expertly rove a Josh Jenkins marking contest and kick the first goal of the game from a left foot snap, and from there it was one-way traffic.

Betts kicked six goals – the same number he kicked against the Suns in round five – while Josh Jenkins added four and captain Taylor Walker three.

CROWS SCORCH SUNS Full match coverage and stats

Youngster Tyson Stengle kicked three goals in his first game for the club in a forward line that had plenty of opportunities.

Following last week's spanking from crosstown rivals Port Adelaide, the Crows kept their foot to the floor.

Wayne Milera was superb, particularly in the first half.

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He finished with 27 disposals and more tellingly 12 score involvements. When he touched the ball, invariably something good happened.

Matt Crouch (36), Rory Atkins (35) and Rory Laird (30) also got plenty of the ball.

But in the same week Suns chairman Tony Cochrane called for his club to receive a priority pick, the players didn't produce anything approaching an acceptable standard.

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Adelaide won the disposal count 476-302, winning the uncontested possession by in excess of 150.

The most telling signs of a dispirited Suns team came during a calamitous second quarter.

Among a series of nonchalant, almost lazy actions, Rory Sloane received a 50m penalty, charged ahead and handpassed over his opponent to Stengle who stood all alone in the goalsquare for the easiest of majors.

Betts' second goal came after a clever mark between the goal and behind posts.

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While Jesse Joyce questioned the umpire, the Crows' magician simply tiptoed along the goal-line, literally walking around his oblivious opponent to convert from mere centimetres out.

The win solidifies Adelaide's position in the top eight after they found themselves temporarily outside earlier on Saturday afternoon and adds another layer of misery to an increasingly disappointing Gold Coast season.

MEDICAL ROOM

Gold Coast: Looks like the Suns got through unscathed. Sean Lemmens played all four quarters in his first match back following ankle surgery.

Adelaide: No problems for the Crows. Riley Knight looked stunned following an Anthony Miles hit towards the end of the third quarter but continued to play out the game.

NEXT UP

Adelaide has a monster Friday night date with Essendon. Both teams are on the fringe of the eight and the result could have a major impact on who plays in September. Gold Coast has its last chance to avoid the wooden spoon when travelling to Marvel Stadium to play Carlton on Saturday afternoon at 2.10pm.

GOLD COAST 2.3 2.5 4.7 8.8 (56)

ADELAIDE 5.7 12.9 19.10 23.13 (151)

GOALS

Gold Coast: Sexton 3, Lemmens 2, Day 2, MacPherson

Adelaide: Betts 6, Jenkins 4, Stengle 3, Walker 3, Murphy 2, O'Brien, Brown, Milera, Greenwood, M.Crouch

BEST

Gold Coast: Witts, Hanley, Miller

Adelaide: Milera, Atkins, Laird, M.Crouch, B.Crouch, Betts

INJURIES

Gold Coast: Nil

Adelaide: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Findlay, Heffernan, Mollison

Crowd: 8741 at Metricon Stadium