ADELAIDE is optimistic about the knee injury suffered by Tom Doedee in Saturday night's loss to Gold Coast, but coach Matthew Nicks continues to scratch his head over his team's poor record on the road.
The Crows slumped to a 1-4 record away from Adelaide Oval after watching a 35-point second-quarter lead evaporate in the Darwin heat to a Suns outfit that belted them around the ball.
Nicks did not sugarcoat his team's performance, saying it was "hard to swallow" after being hammered 174-136 in contested possessions.
SUNS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats
Gold Coast kicked nine goals in succession either side of half-time and then five of the final six to put the nail in the Crows' coffin.
Although just outside the top eight with a 6-6 record, Nicks said Adelaide's form away from home was a concern.
"We've got to be better, we know that," he said.
"It's something that's front of mind for us. It was front of mind pre playing this game.
"We'll go back and have another look at it.
"Our performances at home at the moment are at the level and unfortunately we're dropping off when it comes to away games."
Nicks was not making excuses for the hot and humid conditions that made the ball increasingly slippery as the match wore on.
He said the weather was "nice", adding the heat against Greater Western Sydney in round one was tougher, while the wet weather win against Brisbane last weekend was great preparation.
"We were well beaten in the contest tonight and when conditions changed and became a little slipperier … they adjusted far quicker than we did," he said.
"In the end we were well beaten in the area that says if you don't win that, contest, you're in trouble."
Losing Doedee in the opening minutes with a right knee injury was a "challenge", but mainly from a leadership standpoint, the coach said.
"He'll have some scans," Nicks said. "We don't know a lot at this point.
"We'll remain optimistic. We want to stay positive with that and hopefully we get a good result with those scans."
Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew was beaming after a second successive win in the Top End – making it four from four in Darwin in the past two seasons.
He said his young team had shown great maturity for a second straight week in overcoming a tardy beginning.
"We've obviously got to work on our starts, but we didn't panic again when we conceded a few goals in a row," Dew said.
"When the game was on the line … our guys ramped it up. Plus-22 contested (ball) in the last (quarter) when it was there to be won. I'm proud of the effort across the board.
"To turn that around again, it gives them confidence in any situation."
Gold Coast has now squared its season ledger at 6-6 ahead of the bye and a round 14 date with Carlton in Melbourne.
Dew said it would be silly to look too far ahead.
"It's just ticked over to June, so we'll take a breath and reload for the second half of the year," he said.
"That's the art of elite sport. Let's not get carried away and look too far ahead. We've just got to keep doing what we're doing."
