Footy is back and the  2026 AFL season is finally here.

Friday night’s Opening Round clash at the Gold Coast will be an early litmus test for both sides.

Gold Coast and Geelong will both enter the match with premiership aspirations in 2026. The Suns come in, fresh off a strong finals campaign in 2025, adding to their squad with the handy pickups of Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.

The Cats on the other hand have added little extra spark to their lineup, with the exception of former Hawks midfielder James Worpel who’ll be looking to prove himself at his new club. 

This ageing Geelong squad have been the benchmark of the league for years and will be out for redemption after falling short in the Grand Final last season. 

But the Cats will have to navigate their path through a minefield of up-and-coming contenders. They’ll have to defy the odds of a historical grand final hangover to prove they’re still the team to beat.

Will Damien Hardwick take the first step towards finally delivering premiership success to the Gold Coast?

Or will the professionalism and experience of the Geelong organisation be too much for the youth of this Suns outfit?

For the latest team news, analysis, odds, and betting tips, check out our Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Cats prediction and preview below. 

Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Cats Prediction and Betting Tips

Head-to-Head Prediction

Geelong is the next team aiming to break the premiership hangover hoodoo. Teams thumped in Grand Finals have a dreadful record across the past 30 seasons. But Chris Scott’s men have been staving off cliffs and falls down the ladder since 2013.

They will be confident they can build into the year and get back to September in pole position.

Gold Coast will be full of confidence too, the Hardwick system has been in place long enough and the talent has been assembled. 

In a massive coup for the club, Christian Petracca will don the Suns’ red and gold in 2026. He’ll be a force for defences to deal with and is in for a big year at the Goldy.

We expect the Suns to be one of the most dominant centre ball-up scoring teams in the league. They were third last season and have added a dynamic mid in Petracca.

The Suns feel like they arrive in as good a shape as possible, minus only their Brownlow winner Matt Rowell.

Geelong have queries over Jeremy Cameron and Bailey Smith, two of their most important players. Even if these two are cleared to play, we’re not convinced their preparation has been as seamless as the Gold Coast’s.

The Suns in a close one. 

Head-to-head prediction: Gold Coast Suns by 22 points.

Betting tip: Gold Coast -5.5 points.

First Goal Scorer Prediction

With the Suns expected to dominate the centre clearances and get the ball moving quickly into the forward line, Ben King remains the obvious choice. 

The towering forward has been a dynamic target for Gold Coast’s attack and will be eager to assert his dominance against the Cats' defense early in the night.

Betting tip: Ben King.

Most Disposals Prediction

Christian Petracca to the Suns has been one of the biggest stories of the AFL offseason for a reason.

While his ability to hit the scoreboard is famous, it’s his bullocking work through the middle that makes him such a valuable recruit.

In his debut for the Suns, he’ll want to make an immediate statement. Expect him to be at the bottom of every pack, racking up the touches and driving the Suns forward.

Betting tip: Christian Petracca. 

Odds are subject to change*

Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Cats Predicted Teams

Gold Coast Suns Predicted Team List

B: Joel Jeffrey, Sam Collins, Bodhi Uwland 

HB: Daniel Rioli, Mac Andrew, John Noble 

C: Lachie Weller, Wil Powell, Ethan Read 

HF: Bailey Humphrey, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Touk Miller 

F: Leo Lombard, Ben King, Ben Long 

Foll: Jarrod Witts, Noah Anderson, Christian Petracca 

I/C: Zeke Uwland, Sam Clohesy, Alex Davies, Will Graham, Jy Farrar

Geelong Cats Predicted Team List

B: Jack Henry, Sam De Koning, Lawson Humphries 

HB: Tom Stewart, Connor O'Sullivan, Tanner Bruhn 

C: Ollie Dempsey, Max Holmes, Oisin Mullin 

HF: Shaun Mannagh, Shannon Neale, Gryan Miers 

F: Patrick Dangerfield, Jeremy Cameron, Brad Close 

Foll: Mark Blicavs, Bailey Smith, Tom Atkins 

I/C: Mark O'Connor, James Worpel, Zach Guthrie, Rhys Stanley, Jack Martin

Gold Coast Suns vs Geelong Cats Match Details 

Date: Thursday, March 5, 2026.

First Bounce: 8:05pm AEDT

Location: People First Stadium - Carrara Oval, Gold Coast

How to watch: Channel 7, Fox Footy/Kayo Sports