The gulf in class was evident before the opening bounce on Saturday. A quick glance at the team sheet could have told you that. But despite the absence of half a dozen of the SUNS' most important players, Rodney Eade was satisfied with the effort and intent his players brought against Adelaide on Saturday night.
 
By the final siren, the Crows outclassed Gold Coast by 41-points and were rarely troubled against a side missing a plethora of stars. With no Gary Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, David Swallow, Nick Malceski, Harley Bennell, Jack Martin and Steven May, Eade’s side was always going to be up against it.
 
One key ingredient that has been more absent than present during the opening six weeks has been effort. However, the 22 who represented the SUNS on Saturday night played with the basic requirement Eade has demanded throughout the difficult start to his tenure in southern Queensland.
 
“Overall I was pretty pleased with the effort. I was pleased, obviously the talent difference and the experience difference between the two sides,” Eade told the media at his post-match press conference.
 
“I thought we made a lot of basic efforts, they were pretty clean and efficient. I thought after half-time we addressed the way we wanted to play. I thought 2.5 in the third, four of them were set shots and we won the last quarter.
 
“Overall I thought they didn’t drop their heads, they stuck at it, they persevered pretty well. So I thought there were a lot of positives to come out of it.”
 
Young utility Alex Sexton was handed the challenging task of quashing damaging game breaker Brodie Smith. A role he performed methodically. Against last year’s All Australian rebounding defender, and one of the premier half-backs in the competition, Sexton kept Smith to just nine touches in the first three quarters before pushing forward in the final quarter.
 
“I thought Sexton was probably our best player tonight. I thought his job on an All Australian and then we released that in the last quarter and he gave us a bit in the forward line as well – kicked a good goal,” Eade quipped.
 
“I thought he competed really well. I think he’s one player that’s really stepped up this year, so that’s been pleasing.”