GAZ GOOD TO GO AGAIN
Suns star Ablett says body can hold up for another AFL season
RETIREMENT looks to be off the table for Suns midfielder Gary Ablett who is confident he can get through another full season of footy.
Ablett has returned to Victoria to discuss his AFL future with his family on the back of winning a fourth Gold Coast club champion award on Saturday night.
The dual Brownlow medallist will make a decision within weeks. Another request to be traded back to Geelong looks imminent and Ablett has used retirement as a thinly veiled threat this year.
That now appears to be off the table with the 33-year-old declaring that he could play 22 games again in 2018 no matter what club he was at after revealing that his 2017 season had been marred by hamstring tendinitis.
“Physically I’m feeling pretty well,” Ablett said.
“It was disappointing not to be able to get on the field for the last few games of the season but I have struggled with some hamstring tendinitis which a lot of people didn’t know about.
“It’s one of those things that you go out and train and it feels good and then the next training session it doesn’t feel so good. I was trying to manage it. It was a game on, game off which was frustrating.”
Ablett revealed he dismissed a recommendation by the club to end his season with three games left.
However, Ablett’s push to play any of those games ended in vein.
“The club made the decision three weeks out that they thought it was best for me to pull the pin but I did everything I possibly could because I really wanted to try and get up for the last couple of games,” Ablett said.
“It didn’t eventuate, I know a lot of people have written other things but I can just tell you guys that’s not true. I was doing everything I possibly could to get out on the footy field.”
Gold Coast seem to be more open to the idea of trading Ablett in recent times despite him being contracted until the end of 2018.
Ablett’s club champion title will give the Suns more bargaining power against the Cats who will need to give up a quality player and potentially pay their first year’s wage considering the Suns largely front-ended the midfielder’s contract.
The inaugural Suns captain said he hoped his legacy wouldn’t be tainted by any decision he makes in the coming weeks.
“A lot of hard work has gone in over the journey,” Ablett said.
“I feel I give a lot to my football, I really do.
“It’s been such a big part of my life for a long time and I’ve done everything I possibly can to get the best out of myself up to this stage.
“I’m hoping no matter what happens that I have helped the football club in some way and they are, we are, heading in the right direction. Hopefully finals football and a premiership is not too far away.”
Gold Coast are likely to name their best and fairest award after Ablett who said he would be honoured to be linked to it.