By Adam McNicol 
 

With Gary Ablett sitting in the stands due to a hamstring injury, Geelong fans needed to find a point of interest in Saturday's game against Gold Coast SUNS at Skilled Stadium.

So, with the previous week's 186-point demolition of Melbourne fresh in their minds, many of them viewed the contest as a world record attempt, and their team became a metaphorical swimmer chasing the yellow line.

The Cats' targets were the AFL record score of 37.17 (239), set by Geelong against the Brisbane Bears in 1992, and the record margin of 190 points, set by Fitzroy in 1979.

Chris Scott's men had fallen narrowly short of eclipsing both in their demolition of the Demons.

Although Geelong kicked 18 goals to three in the first half against the GC SUNS, setting up a 94-point lead in the process, the yellow line prevailed in the end.

The winning margin was pushed out to 150 points by the Cats' nine-goal effort in the last quarter, while the final score was 29.14 (188) to 6.2 (38).

It was Geelong's 29th consecutive win at Skilled Stadium.

Steve Johnson led the way for the Cats yet again with six goals, while James Podsiadly booted five.
However, champion defender Matthew Scarlett missed much of the second half after suffering a left knee injury.

The Suns had their moments. They were only a point down 20 minutes into the opening quarter after Danny Stanley kicked a brilliant goal then Josh Fraser added another.

And they kicked the first three goals of the third term, with Stanley and superboot Trent McKenzie in the thick of the action.

Nevetheless, it was Gold Coast SUNS heaviest defeat in its short history, eclipsing the 139-point loss to Essendon in round six. It was also the club's lowest score.

Making matters worse, the Suns lost experienced defender Campbell Brown for the rest of the season after he suffered a broken pelvis in the first term.

Geelong did break two records during the afternoon: it became the first VFL/AFL team to win 17 home and away games in five straight seasons, and the Cats also recorded the most inside-50s in League history.