It appears it’s not just Gary Ablett’s team mates who find themselves marvelling at the little maestro’s constant brilliance on the footy field, with a number of his contemporaries also buying into the discussion Ablett could finish his playing career as the game’s all-time greatest player.

“Gary Ablett is easily the best player I have ever played against,” Kangaroos champion Brent Harvey said on Channel 7’s Game Day TV Show.

Harvey’s bold statement immediately prompted a response from St. Kilda skipper Nick Reiwoldt – the four-time All-Australian forward telling Hamish McLachlan’s panelists that it is Ablett’s leadership qualities that made him such a damaging opponent around the stoppages and on the scoreboard.

“Gary’s performances speak for themselves really,” he said.

“The Brownlow Medal is pretty much sewn up now, I think the only person who could have come close to him was Jobe Watson and he is set to miss 4-5 weeks with his collarbone injury.”

“But it’s really been understanding the leadership role he (Gary) has played up there, he has gone there with a young team and the performances that he has put on the park every week since he has been up there has really fast-tracked the development of some of their other kids.”

And while Harley Bennell, Dion Prestia and Trent McKenzie are among the Gold Coast’s young crop of talent beginning to find their feet on the national platform, Reiwoldt said it was the emergence of Rising Star Jaeger O’Meara that had him most impressed about the Gold Coast SUNS young and talented playing list.

“He’s just an amazing talent,” Reiwoldt said.

“Look at his body; it’s just not the body of a first year player. And I think what a lot of people are understanding is that he had a full year on their list, going to the gym five-six days a week and really building his physic and fitness base.

“They’re doing that with another player who’s potentially going to be even better in Jack Martin.”

The 35-year-old Harvey, the only remaining active player from North Melbourne’s 1999 Premiership team, is convinced the Gold Coast’s rapid development is only going to spell trouble for the rest of the competition as the club’s inaugural 2010 draft class continue to edge closer towards the 50-game mark. 

 “Gee it’s pretty scary,” Harvey said.

“It’s going to be a fortress up there for sure.”