Adelaide have bounced back into premiership contention with the biggest win in AFLW history — a 96-point demolition job on hapless GWS at Unley Oval.

Key points:

  • Anne Hatchard kicked three goals in the Crows’ record-breaking win
  • Meghan Gaffney kicked the Giants’ lone behind
  • The Suns withstood a last-quarter charge by the Power to claim a 14-point win

The Crows also registered their highest-ever score in the 15.7 (97) to 0.1 (1) victory, while the Giants’ meagre tally was the equal lowest in the competition’s seven-year history.

Melbourne set the biggest winning margin record at 88 points by beating Fremantle earlier in the season and the Crows surged past it with on-baller Anne Hatchard’s third goal in the last quarter.

It seemed the outclassed Giants would face the ignominy of a scoreless game, but Meghan Gaffney finally put them on the scoreboard by snapping a behind seconds before the three-quarter time siren.

The Crows’ massive win was built on the midfield monopoly of Ebony Marinoff, with 36 possessions, and Hatchard, with 28, backed by captain Chelsea Randall with 21 touches.

That midfield dominance helped key forward McKenzie Dowrick kick four goals, equalling the club’s record of most goals in a game.

Giants captain Alicia Eva fought bravely in what was her 50th game, as did midfielder Alyce Parker and defender Tarni Evans.

But the visitors were simply no match for Adelaide who pounded out an emphatic signal that they are right back in premiership contention with their fourth consecutive win.

Adelaide issued an ominous warning in the opening minutes when Randall set free Marinoff to utilise her thumping left boot for the first goal.

Controlling the centre and stoppage clearances, the Crows bombarded the Giants’ defence.

The home team had four goals on the board before the Giants’ first entry inside scoring range.

When GWS did threaten with an entry inside their forward 50, it was invariably turned back by Adelaide’s defence so ably led by the experienced Sarah Allan.

With midfielders Randall, Marinoff and Hatchard running almost unchecked, the Crows underlined their scoring versatility with five individual goalkickers to post their highest first quarter score.

While the Giants were able to partly stem the home team’s scoreboard spree from the second quarter, there was no coming back, particularly after being held scoreless in the horribly lopsided first half.

Suns close in on top eight with win over Port

Gold Coast is on the cusp of the AFLW top eight after seeing off a late Port Adelaide fightback to win by 14 points at Bond University Oval.

The Suns held sway by 32 points at three quarter-time after dominating the middle two terms on Sunday before prevailing 7.4 (46) to 5.2 (32) after the Power threw everything at them in the fourth.

Gold Coast’s Jacqui Dupuy (left) and Port Adelaide’s Olivia Levicki prepare to challenge for the ball.(Getty Images/AFL Photos: Russell Freeman)

Charlie Rowbottom (26 disposals, 15 contested possessions, eight clearances) led an ascendant Gold Coast engine room, captain Tara Bohanna booted three goals and Lauren Ahrens had Erin Phillips’s measure.

Power defender Alex Ballard’s intercept marking was a feature, particularly early.

She single-handedly thwarted the Suns’ repeated endeavours to capitalise on their territory dominance with the breeze in the first quarter, at the end of which neither team could register a goal.

The dam wall busted late in the second stanza, the Suns forging a 19-point half-time lead after a burst of three quick goals into the wind.

Rowbottom won a contested ground-ball, fended off Cheyenne Hammond and fed Ellie Hampson, who bounced through the opening major.

Bohanna slotted her first after snared a powerful mark before Courtney Jones got on the board a minute later.

Jacqui Dupuy nailed back-to-back goals to start the third term before Britt Perry finally got the Power on the board with her first touch shortly before three quarter-time.

Gold Coast’s discipline dipped in the final quarter and the Power received a lift from Ange Foley.

Foley converted a free kick, Sachi Syme did likewise and Indy Tahau’s soccered goal off the deck made it three goals in two minutes.

The Suns responded when Hampson’s barging centre clearance finished in the hands of Bohanna, who saw off the Power’s rearguard with her match-sealing third.

AAP

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