It couldn't get any worse for the depleted Gold Coast.
Or so they thought.
The Suns' horror injury tally became more dire as Adelaide earned a confidence - and percentage - boosting 75-point win at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
Gold Coast already had so many injuries that just five AFL-listed players were available for reserves duty on Saturday.
Yet the Suns' stocks will be truly tested next week after Darcy MacPherson (knee) and Callum Ah Chee (concussion) were taken from the field during the 22.17 (149) to 11.8 (74) romp in front of 11,692.
Suns coach Rodney Eade had plenty to worry about after the Gold Coast slipped to its sixth-straight loss, but it was still easily his team's most competitive performance in a month.
Taylor Walker's five goals helped Adelaide snap a two-game losing run to maintain a perfect 9-0 record against the Suns.
Tex takes flight! #AFLSunsCrows https://t.co/M7z9sahOL5
— AFL (@AFL) May 21, 2016
However, Eade won't have to fret over his future after Suns chairman Tony Cochrane said the mentor would hold the Gold Coast reins through to the end of 2017 at the very least.
"I'll put it in my blood if you like," Cochrane told SEN Radio on Saturday.
"Rocket's got a three-year deal here and I am not a change merchant for the sake of change."
He said Eade's future would not be in doubt no matter what happened for the rest of 2016.
Still, it looms as a tough year for Eade.
The Gold Coast won their first three games but haven't been in the winner's circle since.
Their all-star injury list's recent additions were captain Gary Ablett and Aaron Hall, and the Crows cashed in with a comfortable win.
In contrast, the Crows were feeling bullet proof.
Five talking points: Gold Coast v Adelaide
Ruckman Sam Jacobs (29 hit-outs), Tom Lynch (22 touches, 10 marks, two goals) and Daniel Talia (23 touches, one goal) impressed for Adelaide.
The Crows dominated inside 50s (71-35) to have 13 different goal kickers.
"It was a game where we needed a bit of a response from how we played the last couple of weeks," coach Don Pyke said.
"I thought as a group that they did that."
Gold Coast's Peter Wright (15 touches, nine marks, three goals) tried hard in an outclassed side, as did young midfielder Jesse Lonergan, who had 27 disposals and nine clearances.
Game breaker: Texan's five-star shootout
Eade said his team's effort could not be questioned.
"I thought we really dug in," Eade said.
"We lost the last quarter by a point and missed two easy shots, were two players down, so I thought we dug in really well.
"There's a lot of basic errors we made and we gave them a lot of ball from our mistakes but I thought it wasn't through lack of effort. I thought the effort was there."
Smith hits this one nicely from range. #ohwhatafeeling #AFLSunsCrows https://t.co/jyNOWsm9rq
— AFL (@AFL) May 21, 2016
An inaccurate Adelaide rumbled to a 21-point first-team lead.
It blew out to 53 points by half-time.
Adelaide's record 91-point win over Gold Coast in round 23, 2012, appeared under threat after the deficit reached 74 by the final interval,
MEDICAL ROOM
Gold Coast: The Suns' injury woes continued with third-game midfielder Darcy MacPhersontaken off in the second quarter with a medial ligament strain to his right knee and not returning. He will have scans early in the week to determine the best course of action for rehabilitation. Young small forward Callum Ah Chee was another who did not see out the game after being taken off with concussion early in the third quarter.
Adelaide: The Crows got four points and they also got out of the Gold Coast relatively unscathed with just Luke Brown nursing a slight ankle sprain. He was limping around the Crows' rooms after the game but is expected to be OK.
NEXT UP
The Crows won't take long to put this win behind them, faced with a huge match at Adelaide Oval against Greater Western Sydney next Saturday night. A win would show they are top-four material. Meanwhile, things don't get easier for the struggling Suns, who face the arduous task of playing West Coast at Domain Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was another tough afternoon for the injury-hit Suns. Picture: AFL Media
GOLD COAST 1.2 4.3 7.4 11.8 (74)
ADELAIDE 4.5 12.8 18.12 22.17 (149)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Wright 3, Lynch 2, Grant 2, Matera 2, Currie, Davis
Adelaide: Walker 5, Milera 3, McGovern 3, Lynch 2, Talia, Smith, Seedsman, Lyons, Jenkins, Douglas, Cameron, Brown, Atkins
BEST
Gold Coast: Lonergan, Wright, Prestia, Day, Martin, Harbrow
Adelaide: Douglas, Jacobs, Lynch, Talia, Thompson, Seedsman, Walker
INJURIES
Gold Coast: MacPherson (knee), Ah Chee (concussion)
Adelaide: Brown (ankle)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Bannister, Edwards, Pannell
Official crowd: 11,692 at Metricon Stadium