Geelong produced a nine-goal final term to claim a 52-point win and ruin Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett’s AFL homecoming to Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.

The Cats celebrated their first home game under lights at their home ground with an 18.15 (123) to 10.11 (71) victory after scores had been level at three-quarter time.

The home side improved their win-loss record to 9-1 on top of the ladder while the improving Suns have a 4-6 record after their last-quarter fadeout.

Ablett, who has won two club-champion awards at both Geelong and the Suns, was his usual brilliant self with a game-high 34 disposals and two goals in his first game at Simonds Stadium since quitting the Cats in 2010.

The 2009 Brownlow Medallist drew boos from the parochial Cats’ fans in the first half but the crowd warmed to their former hero as the game went on.

Norm Smith Medallist Jimmy Bartel with 30 touches and three goals thrived in the wet conditions for the Cats and injury-prone big man Nathan Vardy booted a career-best four goals in his 12th senior match and first for 2013.

Campbell Brown kicked three goals for the Suns.

Ablett’s stunning snapshot from the boundary 45 metres out at the 13-minute mark of the last quarter was a highlight of the match but it was Gold Coast’s only goal of the final term.

After both sides scored 3.2 in the opening term, the Cats kicked away to lead 6.6 (42) to 4.8 (32) at halftime.

Gold Coast went on a remarkable goal-scoring spree of five in a row to lead by 12 points at the 17-minute mark of the third term.

Geelong hit back with two goals and scores were level at three-quarter time on 9.10 (64) apiece.

Prime minister Julia Gillard performed an on-field ceremony before the match to launch Geelong’s new $10 million light towers funded by the federal government.

The Cats also unveiled a new video scoreboard and the players’ stand.

Geelong are away to bottom side Greater Western Sydney next Saturday while, later that night, Gold Coast host North Melbourne.