Adelaide proved too good for the Suns

ADELAIDE        3.6    9.13    15.18     22.21(153)
GOLD COAST   1.3      5.6      7.6        9.8 (62)

Adelaide has clinch a home qualifying final against the Sydney Swans next week after a 91-point thumping of the Gold Coast Suns.

Patrick Dangerfield enhanced his Brownlow chances with what appears to be a certain three-vote game, collecting 36 disposals and two goals to be comfortably the best player on the ground.

The Crows fired out of the blocks early, with fellow Brownlow fancy Scott Thompson getting the Crows underway in style. Not to be out done, Dangerfield followed up with the next two goals to take Adelaide out to a three day lead in no time.

To the Suns credit, the young team managed to hang in with Adelaide, preventing them from scoring another goal for the quarter while Matera also pegged one back, leaving the margin at 15 points to quarter time.

Gold Coast carried on with the same momentum that they finished the first quarter with, as Stephen May and Gary Ablett got the visitors away to a dream start to the second quarter with two of the first three goals to the Suns.

Consecutive goals to Graham Johncock saw the home team steady. Another goal to the Suns through Shaw again saw the visitors will to fight, though again the challenge, with Smith, Talia and Tippett kicking three of the final four goals of the quarter to hand Adelaide a 31 point lead to the main break.

The third quarter finally saw Adelaide make their stamp on the game, amassing thirteen scoring shots to the Suns two to finally highlight the difference in class between the two teams.

Dangerfield was prolific for the home team, amassing disposals at will while captain Nathan Van Berlo and Ian Callinan combined for four of Adelaide’s six goals in the third quarter in what was at times some exhilarating football.

Brown and Lynch took the most of the Suns two scoring shots for the quarter, kicking a goal each to leave the margin at an even 10 goals at the final change.

The final quarter developed into a glorified training run for the Crows, as they amassed a seven goal final quarter to well and truly finish off the home and away season in style.

Callinan and Johncock both kicked their fourth goal each while Scott Thompson may have clinched a vital two Brownlow votes, kicking a second major for the day to sit along with his 30 possessions.

The Crows in the end proved to be too powerful, end Gold Coast’s second season in the league with a 91-point thumping.

It means Adelaide will now host Sydney next Saturday afternoon at AAMI Stadium with a opportunity to claim a home preliminary final on the line.

VOTES

3) P. Dangerfield

2) S. Thompson

1) R. Sloane

ADELAIDE        3.6    9.13    15.18     22.21(153)
GOLD COAST   1.3      5.6      7.6        9.8 (62)

BEST
Adelaide: Dangerfield, Thompson, Mackay, van Berlo, Callinan, Porplyzia
Gold Coast: Ablett, Stanely, Matera, Bennell, Dixon, Lynch,

GOALS
Adelaide: Callinan (4), Johncock (4), Dangerfield (2), van Berlo (2), Petrenko (2), Thompson (2), Jacobs, Porplyzia, Riley, Smith, Talia, Tippett

Gold Coast: Ablett (2), May (2), Brown, Gillbee, Lynch, Matera, Shaw

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS
Adelaide: Matthew Jaensch replaced Daniel Talia in the third quarter.
Gold Coast: Piers Flanagan replaced Tom Hickey in the third quarter.



Umpires: Fleer, Hay, Findlay

Reports: Campbell Brown (Gold Coast) reported for bumping or making forceful contact to Aidan Riley from front on in the second quarter by umpire R Finlay

Official crowd: 35,463 at AAMI Stadium

Check out the thoughts of both sets of supporters over on BigFooty today.

Adelaide Crows

Gold Coast Suns