Jack Lukosius started the chaos, Gold Coast's midfield continued it and Bailey Humphrey added the icing as the Suns put a giant dent in Geelong's season with a stunning 64-point win in Darwin on Thursday night.
The 26.8 (164) to 15.10 (100) triumph to start Sir Doug Nicholls Round was the Suns' sixth straight success at TIO Stadium, confirming it as the perfect home away from home.
It was easily the highest score in club history, surpassing the 148 points scored against Greater Western Sydney in 2013, and moves the Suns to a 6-4 win-loss record. The victory was also Gold Coast's biggest ever over Geelong, eclipsing the 40-point margin set in 2014.
There was no indication of what was to follow during a frantic first quarter, with the Cats keeping in touch via their unerring efficiency inside 50.
But after that it was all one-way traffic.
Damien Hardwick's men kicked seven goals to one in the second quarter and eight to two in the third to blow the game wide open against a barely recognisable Cats.
And all this off a five-day break in incredibly oppressive conditions in both Darwin matches.
Lukosius kicked three first-quarter goals as the Suns methodically moved the ball forward and found their men in space ahead of the ball.
He finished with five for the night, as did Humphrey, while Ben King moved to the Coleman Medal lead with four goals. Recalled Sam Day booted three.
Matt Rowell made light work of his duel with former teammate Jack Bowes, finishing with a career-high 35 disposals that included a goal, three assists, eight clearances and 10 tackles.
Noah Anderson (a career-high 41 disposals, plus two goals), Sam Flanders (37, also a career high) and Touk Miller (32) exemplified the Suns' workrate away from the contest.
While the Cats were more than competitive with the ball in dispute, once it got into space, Gold Coast was in a class of its own, showing no ill effects of playing three games in 12 days.
The only downside was a leg injury to rising star Mac Andrew, who left the field late in the second quarter after a heavy collision with teammate Ben Ainsworth.
Sam Collins, Alex Sexton and Joel Jeffrey all had big impacts as the Suns barely had an average player on the field.
Geelong coach Chris Scott will be scratching his head following his team's third straight defeat.
While missing Jeremy Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield, resting Tom Hawkins and Mitch Duncan, and losing Sam De Koning before the first bounce, there was no way that should have been the gap between the teams.
Max Holmes and Gryan Miers tried hard, but it will be a long flight back to Victoria as the Cats lick their wounds to prepare for a date with GWS at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday week.
Lukosius the TIO Stadium specialist
It was only a couple of weeks ago coach Damien Hardwick apologised to Jack Lukosius for playing him in defence earlier in the season. Thrust back to his natural forward habitat, the former No.2 draft pick was the Suns' firestarter with three opening-quarter goals. In finishing with five for the night, along with five direct goal assists, Lukosius again proved to be the TIO Stadium specialist, adding to his 10 goals from two games there in 2023.
Bailey back with a bang
During the pre-season, Damien Hardwick likened the skills of Bailey Humphrey to Dustin Martin and Jordan De Goey, among others. It was high praise, and more designed to fill the youngster with confidence than burden him with expectation. The second-year midfielder had a slow start though, kicking three goals in his first six games before being rested ahead of the QClash against Brisbane. He was the substitute against North Melbourne last Saturday, gathering 12 disposals in a quarter, and burst back to his brilliant best against the Cats. He kicked his first goal midway through the second term after beating two defenders and snapping truly and ended up with five goals from 16 disposals in a blistering display.
GOLD COAST 4.3 11.5 19.7 26.8 (164)
GEELONG 5.0 6.2 8.7 15.10 (100)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Humphrey 5, Lukosius 5, King 4, Day 3, Swallow 2, Long 2, Anderson 2, Rowell, Jeffrey, Ainsworth
Geelong: Stengle 3, Neale 2, Miers 2, Henry 2, Tuohy, Rohan, Holmes, Close, Clark, Bruhn
BEST
Gold Coast: Rowell, Anderson, Lukosius, Humphrey, Miller, Flanders
Geelong: Holmes, Myers, Stewart, Stengle
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Andrew (leg)
Geelong: Nil
LATE CHANGES
Gold Coast: Nil
Geelong: Sam De Koning (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by Zach Tuohy
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Alex Davies (replaced Mac Andrew at half-time)
Geelong: Jhye Clark (replaced Cam Guthrie during the third quarter)
Crowd: 12,112 at TIO Stadium
