Gary Ablett’s Gold Coast beat his former AFL side Geelong for the first time on Saturday evening by 40 points, a win described by Suns coach Guy McKenna as one of the best in their three-and-a-half year history.
Gold Coast came back at Metricon Stadium to run over the Cats, with eight unanswered goals either side of halftime setting up a 17.16 (118) to 11.12 (78) triumph. Harley Bennell kicked a game-high six majors.
The win lifts the Suns to seventh on the ladder, while the Cats lose pace with the top three.
McKenna rated the victory, in front of 18,236 fans, as among the Suns’ best.
“Given the opponents and their proud history, it’s certainly up there. To beat them, you have to perform well and almost play them at the same game.”
This was Ablett’s fifth match against the Cats since leaving Kardinia Park at the end of 2010.
Despite 33 touches and a late goal, Ablett was overshadowed by Bennell in the best game of his young AFL career.
After early hamstring and calf injuries, Bennell looks set to fulfil the promise he showed in his breakout 2012 campaign.
As well as six goals, he set up three other majors, including two of Charlie Dixon’s three, and created countless other opportunities.
A clearly impressed Chris Scott said he expected Bennell to have similar impact on games “for a few years to come”.
Suns teenager Jack Martin, playing only his second game after a shoulder injury on debut, had 15 possessions, seven tackles and a goal.
Martin returned without playing a reserve match, something McKenna said spoke volumes about his character.
“He’s a quality kid. You wouldn’t (bring straight back) a lot of boys but he’s a fairly levelheaded fella.
“His pressure is immense. All the other things he does is a bonus.
“From his pressure, (there are) turnovers up the ground and someone else gets on the end of it.”
The result seemed unlikely after a five-goal first quarter left the Cats 11 in front, but they managed just six more.
Worrying for Geelong is an ankle injury to Matthew Stokes who was forced off after the first quarter.
The Cats’ Shane Kersten bagged three goals on debut – one from his first kick. Tom Hawkins and Steven Motlop also kicked three majors.
Geelong coach Chris Scott felt overplaying the ball and losing Stokes cost his side.
“He’s been really good for us, influential around the ball. That threw out our plans a little bit.”
Although there is no prognosis on Stokes yet, Scott admitted “he had to come off so that’s generally not a good sign”.
Scott admitted the Suns’ “manic pressure” was just as big a contributor.
“We were beaten around the ball. Their pressure was good, but we probably overused it a bit … a lot of disposals for not a lot of inside 50s (43).”