Speaking on FOX FOOTY’s On the Couch, the former Chief Football Writer at the Herald Sun broadcasted on national television that Ablett’s post-football legacy would see him be held in the same breath as the league’s player of the century in Matthews.
“Gary Ablett is now the equal of Leigh Matthews,” Sheahan said.
“Leigh Matthews is widely regarded as the best player to play the game… and this is not done lightly because I know where Matthews sits – he’s an icon of the game and a champion player, but this bloke as a rover/forward is now the equal of Leigh Matthews.”
The AFL’s #1 player on the Official Player Ratings has done little to suggest otherwise, remaining the hot-favourite to take out his second Brownlow Medal with the Gold Coaster leading the league in total possessions with an average of 32.1 as the competition nears it’s half-way mark.
Premiership coach Paul Roos echoed Sheahan’s brave comments.
“Where he is at, at the moment, he has to be in the top half a dozen in the best ever,” Roos said.
“He could easily have three Brownlow Medals, and while I think most of us thought leaving Geelong was going to be tough… his ability to go up north and make such an impact is phenomenal."
Host Gerald Healy was still trying to find the words to sum up Ablett’s brilliant performance on Saturday night against the Kangaroos, where he finished with a game-high 33 disposals, seven clearances, six tackles and two goals to secure the best-on-ground honours.
“I reckon three times on the weekend I sat with (wife) Lisa and I just started laughing, and she said what was I laughing at and I said, “he’s done it again,” said Healy.
“This bloke never ceases to amaze every time he plays, and I think David Parkin said you judge players by every time they have an average game… well he just doesn’t have a bad game.”
