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Gary Ablett of Geelong breaks the tackle of Brent Stanton of Essendon during the AFL Round 10 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Geelong Cats at the Docklands Stadium. GSP Images
The pieces of the jigsaw seem to falling into their perfect positions, and each day it seems more likely that Geelong’s Gary Ablett Jr will move to the AFL’s new Gold Coast team. Consider this: his father, Gary Ablett Sr, one of the greatest players of all time, has moved to the Gold Coast.
His brother, Nathan, has also signed with the new team.
In addition to this, it was reported over the weekend that Ablett Sr had split from his girlfriend Lauren Phillips. As personal an issue as that is, it has added fuel to the fire.
The Gold Coast can also offer Ablett more money than he could get at Geelong under the current salary cap conditions. A multi-million dollar deal over, say, five years is surely an offer too good to refuse.
As the best player in the competition, he demands plenty.
Tony Lockett and Wayne Carey both left their clubs – albeit for different reasons – as champions of the AFL. Ablett Jr, currently, is a champion player.
But has he achieved what he can at Geelong? And is the offer from the Gold Coast simply too tempting to refuse.
Ablett Jr has two premiership medals, a Brownlow Medal and two best-and-fairest awards. He has been named in the All-Australian team the past three years.
In the eyes of the players, he has been the competition’s pre-eminent player for the past three seasons – winning the AFLPA Leigh Matthews Trophy.
Ablett Jr is the only player to win the award three times since it began in 1982. Given the fact it is voted on by his peers, it is an achievement which places him up there with the very best.
In the view of many, he was the best player on the ground in his team’s 2008 Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. His list of awards is long, and he will only add to it.
When Nathan and Gary Jr played in Geelong’s premiership-winning side of 2007, in front of Gary Sr in the stands, it was a family affair. We though both were destined to be at Geelong for an extended period.
Then Nathan lost interest in football, while Gary Jr has to weigh up whether to finish his career as a one club player.
We all know he loves Geelong. That won’t change if he leaves.
But if your father and brother moved interstate and you, as a champion footballer, were offered a large sum from a team based in that state, what would you do?
For now, the Geelong champion will focus on helping the Cats to a third flag in four years in 2010.
He might also view that as an appropriate end to a stunning career at Geelong.
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February 13th 2010 @ 2:42pm
Annie said | February 13th 2010 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
if he moves to the gold caost he’s more safe then in Melbourne near me cause he annoys me soo Much!
February 15th 2010 @ 1:49pm
whatever said | February 15th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Nathan is flaky. Listing him as a reason for Gary to move is ridiculous. Nathan could play 3 games and then quit and Gary knows that. Gary Jr was raised mainly by his mother so his father moving to the Gold Coast again has little impact. An incredibly poorly written and researched article.
February 15th 2010 @ 1:54pm
Redb said | February 15th 2010 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
To be fair, the author raised several other issues like the fact that he has climbed the mountain twice and the money on offer, but whatever.
When a player like Mooney comes out in the press and says he understands I think it points to a conclusion that based on all the factors, Ablett would be crazy not to take up the GC offer.
Redb
May 31st 2010 @ 10:24pm
smexy person said | May 31st 2010 @ 10:24pm | Report comment
I think Ablett will go but if there is one thing that will turn him away is the media aspect. It has ben obvious that garry oesn’t like ythe media attention from day one, and if he moves to GC he will be the face of the club, and this im not sure he will like, and may very well turn him away.