No cruise for Ablett in 2020, say Cats

GEELONG has no plans to give Gary Ablett an easy ride next year, determined to manage him like the rest of his teammates.

Despite turning 36 in May, Ablett will be expected to play a significant role in helping the club push towards a premiership.

“Gaz is working hard at the moment,” Geelong football manager Simon Lloyd said.

“We had a good conversation with Gary a couple of weeks ago … his whole reason for staying and playing another year at this football club was that he feels we’re close and he feels he can be a strong contributor in 2020.

“He’s working very hard at the moment to get himself in the right condition to be ready to go for a long season.”

Ablett made the initial AllAustralian squad on the back of a brilliant opening half of the season before his form dipped slightly late in the season.

He still played 24 matches — the only match he missed was through suspension — and he kicked 34 goals in a creative half-forward role that added a different dynamic to the Cats in attack.

“At the end of the season he was in the last 40 for the AllAustralian squad,” Lloyd said

“We’ve just got to make sure we manage – regardless of whether it’s Gary or whether it’s experienced players, it might be young players – we need to make sure we get our side right for specific moments during the season.

“There will be different times this year where we will need to look after particular players, not necessarily just Gary but other players, which we have done in the past.”

Earlier this month, Ablett was urged to keep an open mind about his future after a strong start to pre-season, despite declaring 2020 his football swan song.

“I wouldn’t say it’s his last year. He has been flying so far, so I think it’s up to him if he plays on,’’ teammate Tom Atkins said. “But it was shown last year in the early part of the year how good he could be.

“He was up for All-Australian contention at one point.

“I definitely don’t reckon his best footy is behind him.

“He will have another great year, and then make a decision at the end of the year.’’