In round six this season, Eddie Betts kicked five goals as Adelaide got its season back on track, cruising to a 41-point win over a depleted Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.
After two straight losses derailed their promising start to the season, the Crows found some form and moved to a 4-2 record with the 18.11 (119) to 11.12 (78) victory.
They were rarely troubled, kicking five straight goals in the first quarter to establish a comfortable lead and got good contributions from all over the ground.
But Betts was the highlight.
With youngster Jesse Lonergan manning him for much of the night, the clever small forward was at his scintillating best, kicking two goals in the first quarter, one in the second and two more in the third.
He could have kicked more if not for his unselfish play.
Betts took marks on the lead, drifting in from the side of packs, took contested grabs and roved goals beautifully in an all-around display.
Adelaide coach Phil Walsh was full of praise for both Betts and his team, but said there was still plenty of room for improvement.
"I never felt at any time we had total control of the game," Walsh said.
"The North (Melbourne) and Collingwood games were our two best games. We had our moments tonight but we've still got some areas we need to work on.
"Eddie's been in terrific form, (he) brings other people into the game, plays a bit of a role in the midfield and hits the scoreboard for us.
"He's everything I thought he was and a bit more."
Betts now has 20 goals for the season and is second behind West Coast's Josh Kennedy in the race for the Coleman Medal.
The Crows were strong all over the ground, moving the ball swiftly at times and keeping it locked in their forward 50 to create repeat opportunities.
Patrick Dangerfield (17 disposals) was kept quiet by first-game Sun Andrew Raines, but it didn't slow the Crows, as ruckman Sam Jacobs was a tower of strength and Rory Laird (29), Matthew Wright (28) and Matthew Jaensch (26) got plenty of ball and used it well.
After a tumultuous week in which Harley Bennell, Trent McKenzie, Brandon Matera and Danny Stanley were sanctioned for drinking alcohol six days prior to a game, the SUNS battled hard.
They just weren't good enough.
Trailing by five goals at half-time, Gold Coast arguably had the better of the third quarter, but its shoddy finishing summed up the night.
Fittingly, the SUNS won the final quarter – a reward for hard work.
Coach Rodney Eade was left to rue poor skill errors.
"Our movement going forward was pretty stilted, but when we had a chance we dropped three or four chest marks and kicked it poorly," Eade said.
"Overall I think they didn't drop their heads, they persevered pretty well, so I thought there was a lot of positives to come out of it."
Dion Prestia was his usual prolific self with 28 disposals and seven clearances, while Adam Saad and Touk Miller continued their impressive first years.
Gold Coast was also missing Steven May (suspension), Gary Ablett (shoulder), David Swallow (knee), Jaeger O'Meara (knee), Jack Martin (ankle) and Nick Malceski (knee) and the lack of class was the difference.
GOLD COAST 3.3 4.4 6.9 11.12 (78)
ADELAIDE 5.2 9.4 14.7 18.11 (119)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Dixon 3, Hall, Lemmens, Nicholls, Lynch, Sexton, Miller, Harbrow, Shaw
Adelaide: Betts 5, Walker 4, Lynch 2, Dangerfield 2, Grigg, Cameron, Thompson, Sloane, Jacobs
BEST
Gold Coast: Prestia, Miller, Dixon, Saad, Raines, Sexton
Adelaide: Betts, Jacobs, Laird, Wright, Walker, Jaensch
Official crowd: 12,464 at Metricon Stadium
