Geelong AFL coach Chris Scott is on track to claim a second premiership in his first three seasons, but he says the departure of Gary Ablett to Gold Coast remains a major regret.

Superstar Ablett, a two-time Geelong club champion, two-time premiership player and 2009 Brownlow Medallist, left in 2010 to join new team Gold Coast as skipper.

Ablett made his first appearance as a Sun at Geelong’s home ground Simonds Stadium on Saturday night, in the club’s first home game with their new lights, and the 29-year-old gathered 34 disposals and kicked two goals.

The table-topping Cats booted nine goals to one in the final term to win by 52 points and, while Geelong’s last-quarter performance pleased Scott, he and rival coach Guy McKenna both marvelled at the skills of Ablett.

Booed by some sections of the Geelong crowd in the first half, Ablett earned a standing ovation after an amazing snapshot goal from 45 metres out on the boundary in the final term.

“The people in front of us stood up and bowed. I felt like joining in,” Scott said.

“If he’s not the best player I’ve ever seen, he’s pretty close.

“If there’s one tinge of regret I have, it’s that I was never able to direct him in some sort of way.”

McKenna said Ablett’s performance was superb and joked the goal was “regulation for Gaz”.

Ablett was reluctant to talk up his miraculous kick.

“I kicked the goal and we were down by about 20 points at that stage. I thought we still had a chance but unfortunately they ran away with it,” said Ablett, who clashed several times with Cats midfielder Steve Johnson.

“They’re very good mates. Sometimes that can manifest in a little bit of aggression off the ball,” Scott said.