Hoping Ablett may stay

Re-signed skipper wants great to help build Suns

if they push into the top eight. Ablett requested a trade back to Geelong at the end of last year and hasn’t ruled out doing the same or retiring at the end of 2017, despite being contracted for another year.

“Whatever he decides to do we will be forever grateful for what he has done for us there is no doubt – on and off the field,” May said.

“If we show good signs he is keen to hang around so that is still a possibility at the moment. We are not out of the finals, we are still there nipping at ninth and eighth.”

Gold Coast (6-8) are 12th on the ladder, two wins outside the eight with eight games left.

May said he believed Gold Coast were getting to the stage where Ablett’s presence on the list was a bonus instead of the dual-Brownlow Medallist being a necessity to the team’s on-field success.

“I would like to see that as a plus rather then a key part of the team,” May said.

“I’d like to see that as the cream on the top but we have the core covered rather than in previous years where we need Gaz to win.”

Gold Coast will get another test to see if they are ready for life without the midfielder who will miss today’s Round 15 game against the Sydney Swans at the SCG with a hamstring injury.

May said the Suns had overcome their early season struggles and were ready to test themselves against a team he rated as the best in the competition over the past six rounds.

“We have been inconsistent this year, there is no secret about that,” May said.

“But our list is coming together and we are finally getting some continuity out on the ground.

“Some of those losses at the start of the year were pretty damning but over the last couple of months I have seen our attitude and the direction we are heading.

“Sydney are the in-form team, I have a great feeling we are going to take it up to them.”