It's staggering to believe that Ablett enhanced his reputation in 2011. Arriving from Geelong with two premierships and a Brownlow Medal, Ablett thrived despite little experienced help around him, averaging more than 30 disposals a game.
Just as impressive was his leadership of the young GC SUNS, a quality not many had seen before. Was named All-Australian captain and a runaway winner of Gold Coast’s inaugural best and fairest.
Ablett is one of the game’s genuine stars and arguably one of the best midfielders the game has seen.
The son of Geelong legend Gary Ablett Snr – one of the game’s greatest ever players – Ablett joined the Gold Coast SUNS after nine seasons, 192 games and two AFL Premierships with the Cats.
Initially drafted to Geelong under the father-son rule in 2001, Ablett showed flashes of promise as a small forward during twelve senior games in his first season. He spent subsequent seasons slowly but surely improving his craft, but it wasn’t until 2005 that he began to consistently stamp his brilliance on the competition with his rare combination of speed, agility, strength, deft touch and almost freakish goal sense.
Ablett's breakout season was 2007, one that coincided with a fulltime move to the Cats’ much vaunted midfield. He averaged 26 possessions a game over a stellar season and collected 20 Brownlow Medal votes on his way to helping Geelong ultimately pulverise Port Adelaide by 119 points in the 2007 Grand Final, the Cats’ first flag in 44 years.
Since then, Ablett form has been nothing short of sublime.
He was a two-time Best and Fairest winner at Geelong – in 2007 and 2009 - and was awarded the Brownlow Medal as AFL’s Fairest and Best player last in 2009. Since 2008, he has not finished lower than third in the Brownlow count.
He is a five time All Australian player (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011), won the Leigh Matthews Trophy as the AFLPA’s Most Valuable Player for three consecutive years between 2007 and 2009, in 2007 was judged Player of the Year by both the Herald Sun and The Age, and tied with Carlton’s Marc Murphy in The Age Player of the Year award in 2011.
Player honours: Brownlow Medal 2009; 2nd Brownlow Medal 2010; 3rd Brownlow Medal 2008 (equal); Geelong best and fairest 2007, 2009 (equal); Gold Coast SUNS best and fairest 2011; Geelong 2nd best and fairest 2008, 2010; Geelong 3rd best and fairest 2005, 2006; All-Australian 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 (captain); AFLPA MVP 2007, 2008, 2009; AFLCA Player of the Year 2007, 2008, 2009; Geelong leading goalkicker 2006; Geelong premiership sides 2007, 2009; Geelong pre-season premiership sides
2006, 2009.
Brownlow Medal: 2011 votes 23; career votes 135.
Previous AFL club: Geelong (2002-10: 192 games, 262 goals).
Draft history: 2001 National AFL Draft 3rd round father-son selection (Geelong) No. 40 overall; 2010
uncontracted player selection (Gold Coast).
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