By Katrina Gill, for AFL.com.au/afc.com.au

COACH Neil Craig admits Adelaide didn't "prove too much" in its 57-point win over Gold Coast at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon, saying the club has a "huge amount” of improvement to come.

The Crows were challenged to respond to their dismal 96-point loss to Melbourne last weekend, at home against the young Suns.

However, it was Gold Coast that started strongly and took an early lead.

Led by influential skipper Gary Ablett, the Suns kicked the opening four goals of the game to lead by 25 points midway through the first quarter.

Adelaide failed to get back into the contest after conceding nine first-quarter scoring shots against the Demons last week, but was able to rally on Saturday afternoon.

The Crows kicked nine unanswered goals either side of the quarter-time break to lead by 31 points at half time, and were never headed.

It was a game Adelaide was expected to win, but Craig said he was pleased with his team's response from last week, regardless.

"I don't think it [the win] has proven too much…too much that we don't know about, but it was important for that group of players to respond from last week," Craig said after the game.

"That was a big change in behaviour today from what we saw last week. They were chalk and cheese those games.

"I thought they [the players] were fantastic. Four goals down early in the first quarter, a lesser group would've said, 'well, here we go', coming off a 16-goal loss.

"Ablett had taken charge of the game…[I just liked the fact] we hung in there."

Damagine midfielder Patrick Dangerfield starred up forward, kicking a career-best six goals and was supported by Shaun McKernan, Matt Wright, Chris Knights and Ricky Henderson, who each booted two goals.

The Crows will now prepare for a trip to Melbourne to take on reigning premier Collingwood, reeling after its first loss since round 22 last season against Geelong on Friday night.

In spite of the scoreboard Adelaide was "belted" in the clearances 53-28 by the Suns.

Craig said the midfield was just one area his team would have to improve in to compete with the Magpies next weekend.

"To win by nearly 10 goals with the clearance-differential we got today was one for the record books," he said.

"We’ve got a huge amount of improvement in us as an overall team. Our stoppage work is poor at the moment and I reckon we overuse the ball a little bit with our handball.

“We've got a heap to improvement, but hopefully that's exciting for our fans."