Match

Adelaide Crows vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 20 Jul 2025

Pre Game

00:00
Adelaide has lost four of its last five matches against Gold Coast, with the last two losses coming by six points and one point, respectively.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:11
Adelaide is ranked No.1 in the first ten minutes of games. The Crows have trailed only three times after the opening ten minutes.
02:11
An early goal for Riley Thilthorpe following a defensive half intercept by the Crows. Thilthorpe finished with 16 disposals and five goals when these teams last met in Round 4. He is coming off a career-high six goals against the Bulldogs in Round 18.
04:10
Adelaide averages 17.5 intercept marks per game (ranked No.1). The Crows have an early 3-1 lead in this measure today.
05:21
Since Round 11, Izak Rankine has spent 68 per cent of game time forward compared to just 33 per cent before that. The mercurial Rankine has been involved in both scores for the Crows today in a prominent start.
05:55
Crows Interchange - Darcy Fogarty off due to an injury.
08:15
Gold Coast finds a mark from just 18.7 per cent of its kicks into the forward 50 (ranked 17th). The first four such kicks for the SUNS today have all resulted in turnovers.
11:54
Adelaide has currently taken more marks from Gold Coast Kicks (7) than the SUNS have (6) themselves.
15:15
Gold Coast has a 5-1 advantage in forward half intercepts and is winning the clearances 9-3. This has resulted in the SUNS having a 9-3 lead in inside 50 entries.
16:10
While Gold Coast is having issues connecting with its forward 50 entries, the Crows have three goals from four inside 50 entries. Adelaide has kicked a goal from 26.5 per cent of its entries this season (ranked third).
19:43
Crows Interchange - Mitchell Hinge off due to an injury.
20:24
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Sam Clohesy)
22:02
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
22:19
Gold Coast is ahead 10-4 in clearances, with Matt Rowell having contributed four of these. Despite this, the only score of the game from stoppages has gone the way of Adelaide.
25:11
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Isaac Cumming)
26:46
Daniel Curtin is averaging just 9.8 disposals per game at Adelaide Oval this season, compared to 15.8 at all other grounds. Curtin leads all Crows for disposals in the opening quarter today (7).
27:04
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
27:47
The Crows have averaged a forward half pressure factor this season of 177 (ranked No.1). Adelaide leads 186-151 in forward half pressure rating today.
30:20
Adelaide now leads 10-2 in intercept marks. Only once this season has a team taken more than ten such marks in an opening quarter this season.
31:00
Gold Coast won the clearances 13-6 in the opening quarter, but as has often been the case this season, struggled with forward 50 entries. Adelaide took five intercept marks in its defensive 50 and posted forward half kicking efficiency of 71 per cent, resulting in better conversion of its own entries.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:23
Matt Rowell was the No.1 rated player in the opening quarter, winning seven contested possessions, including four clearances. Rowell has applied 97 tackles over his last eight games, which is the most recorded by a player over an eight-game period.
02:10
SUNS Interchange - Daniel Rioli off due to an injury.
03:05
Gold Coast is yet to generate an inside 50 entry from any of its eight defensive 50 chains. Adelaide has generated five inside 50 entries from 16 such chains.
04:15
An excellent snap from the hard-working Alex Neal-Bullen has given the Crows their second goal from a forward half stoppage. Adelaide has scored from only 32 per cent of its forward half clearances this season (ranked 16th).
06:05
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)
06:28
The goal from Taylor Walker was the first score of the game to come from a centre bounce clearance. Adelaide averages 12.1 points per game from this source.
09:27
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Alex Neal-Bullen)
10:31
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
11:49
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Sam Berry)
11:59
Adelaide has converted four of its five set shots at goal, while Gold Coast has missed all three of its attempts, which have all been from further than 50 metres out.
15:16
Gold Coast is ranked third in contested possession this season, but trails 40-48 in this measure today, with Adelaide winning this count in each zone on the ground.
16:33
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Luke Pedlar)
17:24
The SUNS have kicked 40 goals directly from free kicks this season, which is the most of any team, but have conceded two goals from free kicks today to the Crows, including the last goal from Luke Pedlar.
20:13
Matt Rowell is currently the No.1 rated player on the ground. The next ten highest-rated players are all Crows.
20:57
Crows Interchange - Jordan Dawson off due to an injury.
22:41
Adelaide has won the clearances 10-3 this quarter and converted this into 19-0 points scored from stoppages.
22:47
SUNS Interchange - Daniel Rioli off due to an injury.
24:10
Crows Interchange - Luke Pedlar off due to an injury.
25:26
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ethan Read)
26:48
The SUNS win over Collingwood last week was their first-ever win against a team on top of the ladder. It was also the first time that Gold Coast had kept a team goalless in the first half.
29:14
SUNS Interchange - Daniel Rioli off due to an injury.
29:38
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
29:59
Gold Coast has retained possession from 38 per cent of its inside 50 entries, while Adelaide has retained possession from 71 per cent of its entries.
30:36
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Jordan Dawson)
31:39
Gold Coast has just posted its lowest ever half time score of only four points. Adelaide has moved the ball far more effectively, leading 26-1 in points scored from defensive half chains (averages 41 per game, ranked No.1). The Crows have also taken an equal season-high 15 intercept marks to repel attacks by the SUNS.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:24
Another goal from the boundary from Alex Neal-Bullen starts the third quarter for the Crows. The goal was launched with another intercept mark by Max Michalanney, who is the third Crow to take three intercept marks today, with two of his launching scores.
04:26
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Leonardo Lombard)
04:49
Gold Coast has now missed all six set shots at goal today, with two attempts hitting the post and two failing to score. Adelaide has converted seven of its eight set-shot attempts.
05:49
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Alex Neal-Bullen)
06:29
Three goals now for the hard-working Alex Neal-Bullen among his game-high eight score involvements. Neal-Bullen has also had an equal team-high 14 disposals.
07:57
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Izak Rankine)
08:31
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Izak Rankine)
09:34
Adelaide averages 32 points per game from stoppages this season. The Crows currently lead 39-1 in points scored from stoppages today, from an even clearance count.
10:39
Finally, a goal for Gold Coast, and it came from the unusual source of a kick-in chain. This was only the second time today that the SUNS have generated an inside 50 entry from a defnesive 50 chain.
12:02
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Sam Flanders)
14:23
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Daniel Curtin)
15:16
Both of these teams are ranked in the top-4 for hitout to advantage differential this season. Adelaide is ahead 10-4 in this measure today, with Reilly O'Brien once again performing well against one of the premier rucks in Jarrod Witts.
15:57
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
16:36
Consecutive goals for the SUNS with an accurate long-range shot from Joel Jeffrey, who is averaging career-highs this season for disposals (18.5), metres gained (477) and intercept possessions (5.6).
18:24
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Connor Budarick)
18:37
Crows Interchange - Sam Berry off due to an injury.
19:46
Gold Coast has generated nine of the last ten inside 50 entries and is currently having its best period of the game behind this territorial ascendancy.
20:54
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Flanders)
21:05
A brilliant shark and goal from Sam Flanders makes it three consecutive goals for the SUNS. In the last ten minutes, Gold Coast has dominated uncontested possession (32-12) and won the last five forward half intercepts.
24:53
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
25:01
A brilliant boundary goal from Ben Ainsworth converts another forward intercept by the SUNS. Gold Coast now leads 21-11 in such intercepts, but both teams have scored two goals from this source.
27:26
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Izak Rankine)
27:36
Izak Rankine has ended the run of goals to Gold Coast with an accurate set shot to convert another defensive half intercept. Adelaide leads 40-8 in points scored from defensive half chains.
28:37
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
29:11
A rare error from a Crows defender has gifted a goal to Ben King. The spearhead for Gold Coast has won three ground balls in the forward 50, but is yet to take a mark in this zone. King has won more forward 50 ground balls than any teammate this season.
31:48
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Daniel Curtin)
32:21
Daniel Curtin has again had several impressive moments today, including kicking the last goal. Curtin has contributed defensively (four intercepts, three tackles) and offensively (six score involvements).
35:24
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (David Swallow)
35:29
An improved quarter from Gold Coast, who recorded more inside 50 entries (16-9) and was able to generate ten scores. The SUNS controlled the ball effectively, taking more uncontested marks (23-16) after the Crows were ahead 56-34 in this measure during the first half.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:51
Ben Long has been an important player for the SUNS this season and averages 8.6 forward 50 pressure acts per game (ranked No.1 in the AFL). Long has so far been kept quiet with just two score involvements, opposed primarily to Josh Worrell, who has won a game-high eight intercepts.
03:23
While Adelaide has been more efficient with its forward 50 entries and retaining possession of the ball, Gold Coast now leads 7-6 in forward 50 marks.
07:06
SUNS Interchange - Oscar Adams off due to an injury.
08:12
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Riley Thilthorpe)
08:37
Adelaide has now generated seven scores from 12 forward half intercepts following the last goal from Riley Thilthorpe. Gold Coast has scored just five times from 22 such intercepts.
09:48
The Crows have won contested possessions 18-11 in their forward 50 (generally, teams lose this count due to being outnumbered in this zone). This includes 5-1 crumbs, with the Adelaide players doing well to get to the feet of their tall forwards.
13:05
James Peatling has kicked another goal from a forward half intercept. Adelaide now leads 28-15 in points scored from this source, despite Gold Coast leading 22-13 in such intercepts.
14:57
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Taylor Walker)
15:37
Matt Rowell continues to be a standout for Gold Coast today. Rowell has team-highs for contested possessions (14), clearances (10), tackles (7), pressure points (54), score assists (2) and effective disposals (20).
16:04
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
20:49
The SUNS are averaging just 10.8 points per game from defensive 50 chains this season (ranked last). Tonight, Gold Coast has scored two goals from kick-in chains but has not scored from any of its other defensive 50 chains.
23:34
Gold Coast has generated 45 intercepts in the midfield and scored just nine points from these chains. Adelaide has scored 44 points from 31 such intercepts.
24:24
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Jake Soligo)
25:18
The Crows now lead 37-2 in points scored from chains starting in the defensive midfield. Both teams have had 30 such chains, and the AFL average is 18 points from this source.
28:06
The biggest loss that Gold Coast has had under Damien Hardwick is 54 points against Melbourne in Round 23 last season.
29:23
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Taylor Walker)
31:37
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jed Walter)
31:41
An impressive win by the Crows, who had the better of contested possessions (125-114), but more importantly used the ball more effectively, finishing with 19-12 intercept marks and 61-18 points from turnovers, while restricting the SUNS to just six goals from 52 inside 50 entries.