Match

Gold Coast Suns vs Adelaide Crows

Commentary / 05 Apr 2025

Pre Game

00:00
The Suns outscored the Demons by 23 points from centre bounce clearances last round – their equal fourth biggest differential on record.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:22
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Matt Rowell)
02:24
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
02:53
Ben King slots the first of the game from a forward-half turnover. Gold Coast have been incredibly efficient on turnover this season, scoring from 31.4% of their intercepts - the highest of any team.
05:21
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ethan Read)
05:58
The SUNS have started strong in marking contests early with both of their goals coming from contested marks inside 50. They retain possession from 60.4% of their entries this season, leading the league.
08:16
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
09:24
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
09:55
Adelaide has struggled to move the ball out of their defensive half early, being yet to achieve an inside 50 from their four defensive half chains.
11:17
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Lachie Weller)
12:50
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Taylor Walker)
13:46
Adelaide has begun to assert themselves in the contest winning five of the last six clearances, although they have kicked just 0.1 (1) from the source.
14:50
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Darcy Fogarty)
18:02
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Lachlan Murphy)
19:12
The SUNS have been incredibly efficient going inside 50 having six scores from their eight entries (75%) and scoring three goals (38%).
22:21
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jarrod Witts)
22:44
Gold Coast have had a pressure rating of 212 so far in this first quarter, their best since Round 11 last year, heavily contributing to Adelaide's kicking struggles, having a kicking efficiency of only 63%.
24:18
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
25:07
The ball has spent 90% of the time in Gold Coast half in the past five minutes with Gold Coast pinning Adelaide to their defensive 50 having five inside 50s to Adelaide's one.
28:24
John Noble has had a strong start off half-back having nine disposals, three intercepts, three rebound 50s and 173 metres gained.
29:58
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
32:36
Riley Thilthorpe follows up his three-goal game last week at the end of the quarter kicking his first goal from three shots. He has recorded 33.3 scoreboard impact points per game this season – ranked second in the AFL.
32:40
Izak Rankine has been crucial to Adelaide's early dominance in the contest having three clearances, four first possessions and four contested possessions, continuing his excellent form in the midfield.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
04:05
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
04:40
Adelaide have moved the ball from defensive 50 efficiently this term achieving two inside 50s from their three chains as well as kicking a goal.
05:39
The Crows have taken control of the uncontested game being plus nine in uncontested possessions and plus five in uncontested marks this quarter.
06:45
SCORE GOAL - Crows (James Peatling)
07:43
Adelaide has put the pressure on in their forward 50 having a pressure rating of 192 in the zone. They have already had two forward 50 turnovers kicking 1.0 (6) from the source.
09:47
Gold Coast have struggled to maintain their directness from the first quarter having a kick-to-handball ratio of just 0.78 in the second quarter compared to 1.64 in the first.
10:55
SUNS Interchange - Jarrod Witts off due to the blood rule.
12:00
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jed Walter)
13:07
Taylor Walker kicks his first of the game. The SUNS are the only team Taylor Walker averages more than three goals against – booting multiples in 13 of 15 games.
14:52
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Noah Anderson)
16:07
In contrast to their first quarter, the SUNS have been unable to hit the scoreboard despite their eight inside 50s scoring from only 25% of their entries and being yet to kick a goal.
17:11
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Mac Andrew)
20:28
Gold Coast have struggled off the boot this term having a kicking efficiency of just 43%, 25% lower than Adelaide.
22:05
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
22:51
Jed Walter kicks the SUNS first for the term from their 15th inside 50. Three of the SUNS four goals have now come from forward half intercepts.
23:56
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Darcy Fogarty)
24:59
Adelaide kick their second goal from stoppage through Darcy Fogarty. The Crows rank second this season in scoring from clearance averaging 46 points per game.
28:58
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
29:16
Gold Coast have continued the forward half intercepting brilliance now having 22 intercepts in the zone compared to Adelaide's 10 as well as outscoring Adelaide by 20 points from the source.
31:40
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Connor Budarick)
32:04
The SUNS have struggled to convert in front of goal kicking 3.6 when within 40 metres of the goal, as well as perhaps unfortunately having three shots hit the post.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:20
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Will Graham)
00:51
Will Graham starts the second half scoring the SUNS first goal from centre bounce. The Suns were incredible from the source last week as they outscored the Demons by 23 points from centre bounce clearances last round – their equal-fourth biggest differential on record.
02:02
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
03:57
Sam Collins has been a stalwart downback for the SUNS today having a game-high six intercept possessions along with two intercept marks.
05:52
Adelaide has pinned Gold Coast in the defensive half being yet to have a chain start in their forward half, compared to Adelaide's three.
07:28
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
08:56
Gold Coas have been able to move the ball from their defensive 50 well today achieving an inside 50 from 50% of their chains compared to Adelaide's 19.4%.
12:24
Both teams have upped the pressure in this quarter with the SUNS rating of 228 somehow being lesser than Adelaide's rating of 230. Both teams pressure ratings are their highest in a third-quarter dating back to the start of last season.
13:27
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Touk Miller)
15:15
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Darcy Fogarty)
15:37
Izak Rankine has continued his incredible form in the midfield having 10 clearances, already a career-high, along with 11 first possessions and 18 disposals.
17:05
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
18:27
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Ben Keays)
18:47
Adelaide kick their fourth goal from defensive 50 with three of those goals being from intercept. Adelaide have led the league in scores from defensive 50 this season, averaging 31 points a game.
20:37
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)
22:44
The Crows have controlled the outside game this quarter being plus 20 in uncontested possessions, plus 17 in handball receives and plus 41 in disposals.
23:34
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
25:22
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
26:35
Despite having just the 14 disposals, Ben Ainsworth has been incredibly effective having nine score involvements and an equal-career high five score assists.
28:17
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
29:57
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Connor Budarick)
32:46
Adelaide has struggled coming from behind in the last two years, winning just one game where they were behind heading into the fourth quarter, whereas the SUNS have lost just one game they led going into the final term.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:12
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
01:58
Jed Walter kicks his career-high third goal from stoppage. The SUNS lead the league this season averaging 47.5 points from stoppage.
04:32
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Lachie Weller)
07:10
After having more than 20 disposals in the first two games of the season and averaging seven score involvements, Bailey Humphrey has been well held by Max Michalanney today being held to just 10 disposals and two score involvements.
07:17
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)
08:35
Taylor Walker brings up his 650th goal, with his third goal of the game. The Crows have played through their key forwards today with nine of their 11 goals coming through Walker, Thilthorpe and Fogarty.
10:01
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
10:27
SUNS Interchange - Connor Budarick and is possibly out for the game.
11:07
Gold Coast have struggled to move the ball out of their defensive half this quarter having been unable to achieve an inside 50 from their five chains.
13:32
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Lachlan Murphy)
13:52
After conceding the first two inside 50s and the first two goals of the quarter, Adelaide have had 75% time in forward half, six inside 50s to Gold Coast's none and have outscored the SUNS by 13 points.
17:27
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Will Graham)
17:59
Will Graham kicks his second goal of the half against the run of play. Gold Coast have been incredibly efficient going inside 50 this term kicking 3.0 (18) from just four entries.
18:48
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Noah Anderson)
20:05
Unlike the third term, Gold Coast have controlled the outside game in this quarter being plus 13 in uncontested possessions and having 12 uncontested marks whilst keeping Adelaide to just one.
21:27
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)
24:00
Adelaide has been dominant in the stoppage this quarter being plus six in clearances however they have been unable to capitalise with the SUNS outscoring them from stoppage 3.2 (20) to 2.1 (13).
24:22
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jed Walter)
26:09
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
26:40
Riley Thilthorpe matches his career-high kicking five goals, along with having four clearances and five marks (one contested).
33:19
Adelaide was incredible coming out of their back half today kicking 9.0 (54) from chains beginning in their defensive half, outscoring Adelaide by 35 points.