Ablett still seeking success with Suns
FOR his first six months on the Gold Coast Gary Ablett wondered if he had made the wrong decision to become the face of the AFL’s 17th team.
It took him another year to fully settle in, but now says the move forced him to grow- up and he became a better footballer in the process.
While Ablett insists he has no regrets walking out on Geelong, the club and city where his family are royalty, he confesses he feels unfulfilled by the Suns’ lack of success.
“I think so, I’ve said from day dot it was about coming up here and winning a premiership,’’ he said.
“I would have hoped we would have had more success by now and played in some finals.’’
On the eve of his 300th game against the Kangaroos today the Little Master remains as much of an enigma as when he arrived on the scene 16 years ago with the biggest boots in the game to fill, those of his father who Gary Jr still believes is the best to have ever played.
Ablett is popular but guards his privacy closely and keeps a small circle of tight friends. He is accused of being selfish and motivated by money yet there is a mountain of evidence to the contrary.
The born again Christian doesn’t like to broadcast his generosity, but ask anyone close to him and they will talk of his charity work with the Gateway Children’s Fund where he regularly spends off- seasons in Papua New Guinea helping build schools, or the time he chipped in to fund a trip to the US for the family of a Suns staffer who required medical treatment.