Geelong has taken advantage of an injury-depleted Gold Coast to record a percentage-boosting win at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.
After taking a 14-point lead into quarter-time, Geelong dominated to thrash the SUNS by 120 points, kicking 25.18 (168) to Gold Coast 7.6 (48).
It was the Cats' first 100-point win since round 18, 2013 and the SUNS' first loss by more than 100 points since round 14, 2012.
It was also the Cats' highest score since round 20, 2011 when they defeated the SUNS at home by 150 points.
The win moves Geelong to second place on the ladder ahead of a crucial clash against West Coast next Saturday afternoon and leaves Gold Coast languishing after three successive losses.
The SUNS were overwhelmed and had too few contributors, with seven players managing few than 10 disposals (not including the injured Trent McKenzie). Their skipper Gary Ablett finished with 25 disposals in his second return to his former home.
The Cats kicked 10.8 (68) without the SUNS scoring from the first minute of the second half until nine minutes into the final quarter.
Patrick Dangerfield dominated with 30 disposals, many of them accompanied by his trademark runs through the midfield.
He received good support from Josh Caddy (31 disposals), Mitch Duncan (27), Joel Selwood (32), Steven Motlop (23) and big Tom Hawkins crashed packs to finish with four goals, as did his sidekick Shane Kersten with a career-best tally.
Hawkins took eight marks inside the forward 50.
Geelong's pressure inside its forward 50 was very good, forcing the SUNS to turn the ball over in their back half.
It was also careful in the way it used the ball out of its back half, denying the SUNS chances to counter-attack.
With key defenders Steven May and Rory Thompson missing through suspension and injury respectively, the Cats dominated taking nine marks inside their forward 50 in the second quarter and finishing the game with 25.
The SUNS' problems were accentuated when McKenzie rolled his ankle and Sam Day hurt his back in a marking contest and was off the ground for 10 minutes.
By three-quarter-time with the margin 83 points, Gold Coast experimented, moving key forward Tom Lynch into the middle for the centre bounce and small defender Jarrod Harbrow inside the Suns' forward 50.
They cannot afford further injuries after losing Adam Saad and Michael Rischitelli this week and with Jaeger O'Meara and David Swallow yet to play in 2016.
MEDICAL ROOM
Trent McKenzie rolled his left ankle early in the second quarter and did not reappear. He adds to the growing list of injuries at the Suns while Sam Day battled hard despite hurting his back in the second quarter. Geelong lost Rhys Stanley to illness and Andrew Mackie through general soreness before the game with Nathan Vardy and Darcy Lang replacing the pair.
NEXT UP
Geelong host West Coast in a vital game for both teams. The Cats will need to stamp their premiership credentials while the Eagles will want to silence the critics who suspect they can't defeat good teams away from home. Gold Coast have a chance to get back on the horse against Melbourne with a home game they should win if they are realistic about making the final eight.
GEELONG 5.4 11.8 18.14 25.18 (168)
GOLD COAST 3.2 5.3 6.3 7.6 (48)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 4, Kersten 4, Motlop 3, Cockatoo 3, Lang 2, Caddy 2, Dangerfield 2, Duncan, Menzel, Vardy, Smith, Selwood
Gold Coast: Lynch 2, Sexton 2, Cameron, Harbrow, Lemmens
BEST
Geelong: Dangerfield, Hawkins, Motlop, Guthrie, Selwood, Caddy, Duncan, Bartel
Gold Coast: K Kolodjashnij, Prestia, Ablett, Sexton
INJURIES
Geelong: McCarthy (head), Guthrie (hip)
Gold Coast: McKenzie (left ankle), Day (back)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Kamolins, Hay
Official crowd: 23,007 at Simonds Stadium
