In a normal week, the return of an ornament of the game would have been the biggest news. But last week was the antithesis of a normal week in football. Regardless of circumstances, Gary Ablett’s second-half performance was a reminder of just how good he is, and just how important he is for the Gold Coast SUNS.
 
Whilst some sections of the media will try and pinpoint Saturday night’s 55-point win on the influence of one of the game’s greats. The reality is, Ablett overcame a slow start to then produce a period of sustained brilliance towards the end of the game.
 
The gulf in midfield weaponry has been a major area of concern for a large portion of 2015, with Gold Coast missing four to six of their best onballers for the majority of the year.
 
In his post mortem, Rodney Eade was quick to deflect Ablett’s performance, but identified his impact in terms of leadership and how vital he is with ball in hand to help impact the scoreboard. This area of his game was highlighted by Ablett being the leading score launcher of the round across the competition.
 
“Having the best player in the competition… ask Fremantle – Nathan Fyfe not playing, does that impact them? It probably does. Certainly him playing, his presence (helps lift the team),” Eade told the media following the SUNS' second win of the season.
 
“He didn’t do a lot early I didn’t think. The thing with Gary that shouldn’t be underestimated, apart from his ability to win the ball is he actually kicks it to someone when he gets it or kicks a goal.
 
“A lot of times we work really hard, but we make some basic errors at times. Where Gary doesn’t make those. And the good players don’t.
 
“I think that going to another player who’s into space then aids us double fold than what a normal kick would be. I think that’s where his impact was.”
 
In the aftermath of Ablett’s 31-possession, 11 clearance and three goal performance, discussion quickly centred on how telling his absence has been this season.
 
Questions were raised regarding whether the eight-time All Australian was brought back too soon given he lasted two games before missing ten weeks.
 
But hindsight is a wonderful thing in football, as it is in life. Ablett elected to play in round one and two, and whilst his absence has been far from ideal, Eade says there is little value pondering what ifs.
 
“The fact Gary declared himself right to play those first two so that’s all we can go with,” Eade said.
 
“People were critical of him more than anything about how come he hasn’t played the last two or three games but I suppose as an individual he knows his body best. He knows that he was confident he could take the knocks and he wasn’t confident last week.
 
“He’s 31, he knows his body extremely well, he’s very professional. He just didn’t think he was right last week, but he thought he was right this week. I think the proof was in the pudding."