Cats must give up pick in Ablett talks
GEELONG should be prepared to hand over a secondround pick to reunite with Gary Ablett, according to veteran list builder Gary Buckenara.
Former Hawks recruiter Buckenara says despite Ablett’s age he is still at the peak of his powers and a massive marketing force.
Ablett turned 33 last month but his manager Liam Pickering says he still has three years of football left as he roars into Brownlow contention this season. The Cats have no first-round pick but two second-rounders which they are not willing to hand over in a trade for Ablett.
But Buckenara says when you want a star to round out a team that is worthy of premiership contention you have to pay the price.
“If he wasn’t contracted you wouldn’t have to give up too much at all,” he said.
“But you will get a couple of years out of him and from a club point of view you would get an extra 5000 members joining up. I would have thought a second-rounder or an early third-rounder would be all you would want to offer up from a Geelong point of view.”
“If you were Gold Coast you would be starting asking for a first-rounder and hope you get a second. Hopefully somewhere in between they can work something out.”
Ablett’s father Gary Sr played 39 games after he turned 33 before a knee injury ended his career a month short of his 35th birthday. Since 2005 only five men have played a significant amount of games from the next season onwards after turning 33.
But AFL games record holder Brent Harvey played 131, Dustin Fletcher 106, Robert Harvey 66, Corey Enright 44 and Adam Goodes 41.
If the Cats could eke three seasons out of Ablett he would be worth of a secondround pick.
Buckenara said yesterday the Cats could also consider handing Gold Coast a later pick and a depth player.
“Gold Coast could do with another player. Whether it’s a pick and a C-grade player or someone who adds depth.
“Maybe they might try to do a third-rounder and a player who is in their best 30?
“Jake Kolodjashnij’s brother (Kade) plays for Gold Coast. It might be give us him and a third-rounder and you get Ablett back.
“It would appease both clubs and you get the deal done.”