Gaz opts for Suns

GARY Ablett has declared he will return from his shoulder injury to play the best football of his career over the next four years with the Suns.

The Suns’ skipper ( pictured far right) will finish his career on the Coast after signing a new three- year, $ 3 million plus contract extension that will expire in 2018, when he is 35.

In a further boost for the Suns, Charlie Dixon is set to play his first game of the year against GWS on Saturday.

Ablett has improved every year he has been at the Suns and believes he can continue to get better.

Coach Rodney Eade also had no doubts Ablett could reach new heights after seeing him set two personal bests in running trials over summer.

“I believe I can ( improve),’’ Ablett said. “The body still feels good, my focus is to get my shoulder right and when it is, I have no doubts I can get there.”

The dual Brownlow medallist said his shoulder had cleared ahead of his Round 1 return but had deteriorated over two games, and he felt about 70 per cent when the decision was made to take an indefinite break.

He said he felt close to a return but could not put a date on it.

The former Geelong premiership player said he never had any doubt his future lay with the Suns and claimed to have no direct knowledge of any interest from the Cats or any other clubs.

Ablett internalised the decision making process during 2010 that saw him move from Geelong to the Gold Coast for a then- record five- year deal worth about $ 8m.

This time, he wanted to take the time to discuss his future with his family and partner Jordan Papalia.

Ablett has been outraged by media speculation in Melbourne that he did not get along with the new coach.

“Rocket’s obviously a fantastic coach. It didn’t take long for me to know he was the right man for the job,” he said.

“There are still a lot of areas of the game that we need to improve in as a group, and I think we have got the right man here to help us do that.”