The Crows continued their unbeaten run against Gold Coast, notching up their eighth straight win over the Suns. Adelaide has now won three of its past four games to sit seventh on the ladder.

Patrick Dangerfield topped Adelaide’s possession count on Saturday with 36, including an equal-round high 20 contested possessions. It’s the fourth time in his past seven games that Dangerfield has amassed 30 or more touches.

The explosive Crow equalled teammate Scott Thompson in winning a game-high nine clearances and finished with team-high tackles (eight) and inside 50ms (seven – equal with Richard Douglas). He won the equal most hard-ball gets (11) of any player for the round, and also kicked a goal.

The ever-reliable Thompson chalked up another 34 possessions, as well as nine clearances, six tackles, five inside 50ms and a goal assist.

Adelaide generated 65 inside 50ms against Gold Coast – level with Hawthorn as the most by any team in Round 17.

Rory Laird continued his brilliant season, gathering a career-high 32 possessions at 84.4 per cent disposal efficiency. The courageous Crow took seven marks, including three contested, and generated three rebound 50ms and two inside 50ms.

Another young defender, Jake Lever, also found plenty of the ball against Gold Coast. Playing just his seventh AFL game, Lever collected a personal-best 24 possessions at an elite efficiency of 91.7 per cent. The 19-year-old won more intercept possessions (14) than any player in the competition on the weekend – one ahead of Laird, who had 13 possession gains. Lever took a team-high 10 marks, including six intercept marks, and generated an equal-round high seven rebound 50ms.

Lever, and fellow key defenders Kyle Hartigan and Sam Shaw stood up in the absence of All Australian and reigning Club Champion, Daniel Talia. Talia, who was a late withdrawal against the Suns because of illness, missed his first game since breaking his arm in the 2012 finals series.

While he doesn’t win as much ball as his backline teammates, Luke Brown played his role to near-perfection again on the weekend. Brown conceded only one goal to his direct opponents in keeping with his season average of 0.9 goals conceded per game.

Talia’s absence opened the door for Shaw to play his first AFL match in 343 days. The left-footer, who had major hamstring surgery in the offseason, last played in Round 21, 2014.

Ruckman Sam Jacobs won a round-high 15 hit-outs to advantage on the weekend. Jacobs finished with 21 possessions, 39 hit-outs, six clearances and five inside 50ms in another dominant display.

Richard Douglas backed up a strong Showdown performance with another 25 possessions and two goals against Gold Coast. Douglas also finished with seven inside 50ms, six clearances, three tackles and an equal-round high four score assists

Livewire forward Charlie Cameron kicked a personal-best four goals against the Suns. The former rookie also took three marks and laid two tackles in arguably his best game at AFL level.

Josh Jenkins was involved in 33.3 per cent of all Adelaide scores on Saturday – more than any Crow. The athletic tall kicked 3.4 and assisted in two other goals. Jenkins recorded his 100^th career goal with his first straight shot at goal. He’s only the 25^th player to reach the goalkicking ton for the Adelaide Football Club. He also hauled in five marks inside 50m.

Thompson and the returning Rory Sloane each had nine score involvements – one fewer than Jenkins (10). Sloane, Douglas and captain Taylor Walker each kicked two goals in an even scoreboard contribution from the Crows.

Eddie Betts slotted 3.1 to take his season goal tally to 41. Betts has kicked at least one goal in every game this season.

The Crows had the highest percentage of contested possession (43.6 per cent) in the competition on the weekend. Adelaide won the contested possession count by 36 on Saturday (167-131).

Match statistics
Disposals
Adelaide – 386
Gold Coast – 331

Kicks
Adelaide – 218
Gold Coast – 207

Handballs
Adelaide – 168
Gold Coast – 124

Free Kicks
Adelaide – 23
Gold Coast – 27

Clearances 
Adelaide – 43
Gold Coast – 35

Inside 50ms 
Adelaide – 65
Gold Coast – 45

Contested Possessions
Adelaide – 167
Gold Coast – 131

Tackles
Adelaide – 50
Gold Coast – 67

Hit-outs
Adelaide – 45
Gold Coast – 31