Christian Petracca was unstoppable in his Gold Coast debut as the Suns made an Opening Round statement with a 56-point defeat of Geelong.
The high-profile Melbourne recruit starred in Friday night’s 19.11 (125) to 10.9 (69) rout, the hosts unrelenting for three quarters against last year’s beaten AFL grand finalists.
Petracca kicked three goals and had a game-high 34 touches and 678 metres gained against the sorry Cats.
Even without injured Brownlow medallist Matt Rowel, the Suns grew their lead to 85 points approaching three-quarter time.
Christian Petracca celebrates a goal for the Suns. Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Cats dragged it back to avoid what would have been only the second triple-figure loss of Chris Scott’s 15-season coaching career.
Bailey Humphrey (four goals) kicked three majors in the first quarter alone, linking superbly with a surging Petracca, while Ben King (four goals) also filled his boots against a Cats team missing captain Patrick Dangerfield (calf) and spearhead Jeremy Cameron (quad).
“Our contest and defence … as good as I’ve seen in my time here,” said Suns coach Damien Hardwick, who’s starting his third season on the Gold Coast since leaving Richmond.
“There’s a reason we went after him … it’s the start of a long period for him here and he’s only going to get better,” he said of Petracca.
Touk Miller (30 touches, one goal) had 10 first-quarter possessions, while Noah Anderson (24 disposals, one goal) hit the post twice among four behinds but was ominous as he linked effortlessly with Petracca and his forwards.
Petracca was devastating in the first quarter, exploding out of traffic more than once and somehow, while under heavy pressure, shaping a drop punt from left to right to kick his first goal in red.
THREE for CP3 😱#AFLSunsCats pic.twitter.com/Cf9ary8sYQ
— 7AFL (@7AFL) March 6, 2026
The Suns climbed all over the Cats’ defence and it paid off, with Petracca kicking his second in the second quarter, the prolific Miller getting on the sheet and Ben Long icing the half with a goal for a 42-point buffer.
Gold Coast kicked 7.3 from turnovers and didn’t let up after the break, with Petracca again showing quick hands to pinch the loose ball and deliver to Humphrey, who snapped his fourth.
A fifth went begging when Humphrey hooked a set shot moments later from another Petracca assist.
Looking back to his Norm Smith Medal-winning best after some trouble latter years at Melbourne, Petracca didn’t miss his chance for a third when a wide-open Gryan Miers uncharacteristically fumbled.
Geelong’s Oliver Dempsey (four goals, 20 disposals) made hay once the Suns’ intensity finally dropped in the fourth term.
Tanner Bruhn (31 touches) was among the Cats’ best in his first AFL game in 17 months after being falsely accused of rape, while Max Holmes had nine clearances and 29 touches.
“We’re pretty calm … we won’t be overreacting,” Scott said.
“We needed them to be a little bit off and they were the opposite.”
Gold Coast’s No. 2 pick Zeke Uwland (16 disposals), playing with older brother Bodhi, zipped around and won some tough ball in his debut.
The Suns’ Western Bulldogs recruit Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who didn’t play any form of football last year, impressed in a VFL practice match earlier on Friday to push his case for a club debut against West Coast next Sunday.
