A blistering final term has helped Adelaide consolidate its position in the top eight with a 45-point win over Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval.
The Crows kicked eight goals to the Suns’ two in the final stanza on their way to the Club’s ninth win of the season.
Gold Coast’s loss was further soured by a knee injury to captain Gary Ablett in the opening quarter of Saturday’s clash. Ablett suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee and was subbed out in the early stages of Adelaide's 19.11 (125) to 12.8 (80) victory.
The dual Brownlow Medallist is expected to miss four to six matches in the latest injury to cruel his season.
Ablett, who missed 10 games earlier in the season because of shoulder surgery, hobbled off after his knee buckled after contact with teammate Matt Shaw.
The Suns, despite the absence of their superstar midfielder, were plucky until being over-run in the last term with Tom Lynch (four goals) and Charlie Dixon (three goals) threatening to inspire an upset.
The tall attackers dominated an Adelaide defence depleted by the late withdrawal of key back Daniel Talia due to illness.
And Gold Coast onballer Harley Bennell collected a remarkable 38 disposals on return from a club-imposed suspension.
But Adelaide's vaunted midfielders Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield and Richard Douglas overwhelmed the Suns to create enough opportunities for a fluent forward line.
Small attacker Charlie Cameron recorded a career-best haul of four goals while Eddie Betts and a strong-marking tall Josh Jenkins slotted three each in a win in front of 42,656 fans.
Adelaide led by only nine points at three-quarter time but streaked away with eight goals to two in the last term.
The win sees Adelaide leapfrog Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs into sixth place on the AFL ladder.
The Bulldogs can snatch the position back with a win against Collingwood on Sunday.
ADELAIDE 4.1 9.5 11.10 19.11 (125)
GOLD COAST 4.1 7.4 10.7 12.8 (80)
GOALS
Adelaide: Cameron 4, Jenkins, Betts 3, Walker, Douglas, Sloane 2, Dangerfield, Laird, Martin
Gold Coast: Lynch 4, Dixon 3, Matera 2, Day, Russell, Lonergan
BEST
Adelaide: Douglas, Dangerfield, Laird, Lever, Thompson, Jacobs
Gold Coast: Lynch, Bennell, Lonergan, Dixon, Hall, Kolodjashnij
INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Gold Coast: Ablett (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Adelaide: Rory Atkins replaced Matthew Wright at three-quarter time
Gold Coast: Joshua Glenn replaced Gary Ablett at quarter time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Hay, Harris
Official crowd: 42,656 at Adelaide Oval
