SUNS CRUSH CROWS

MATT Rowell starred again as Gold Coast shattered an AFL hoodoo in style, thumping Adelaide to continue its remarkable form since the competition’s return.

The Suns’ clinical 12.10 (82) to 4.5 (29) victory was their first in 14 encounters with the Crows, the hosts keeping a side scoreless in the opening term for the first time on the way to a 53-point win.

The margin fell short of the Suns’ record 86-point defeat of Hawthorn in 2017, while the Crows only just crept past their lowest score of 24.

Gold Coast’s (2-1) effort followed its upset of West Coast last weekend that snapped a 19-game losing streak, while the Crows (0-3), thrashed by Port Adelaide a week ago, were never in it.

Jarrod Witts dominated the ruck, Tasmanian-born midfielder Hugh Greenwood (10 contested possessions, 13 tackles) enjoyed the first clash with his former team, and 18-yearold Rowell (20 disposals, 10 tackles, two goals) backed up last weekend’s dominant game.

Ben King (three goals) imposed himself up front and Touk Miller was lightning through the middle of Metricon Stadium.

The Suns had the game’s first 12 forward-50 entries, Adelaide forward Taylor Walker one of four to go without a touch in the first quarter. But seven behinds and just one goal meant the Suns didn’t have the points to show for it until King soccered through a major in the quarter’s final seconds for a 19-point lead.

Darcy Fogarty got Adelaide on the board as the work rate lifted in the second term. But a four-goal Suns flurry and even greater tackling pressure was the answer.

Everything was going the Suns’ way against the fumbling Crows, Rowell snapping another after Darcy McPherson’s pass from the pocket inadvertently sailed through for a goal.