Gary Ablett surged to an early lead in 2014 Brownlow but couldn’t hold on as Matt Priddis finished strong
HISTORY said it was impossible, even for Gary Ablett, and so it proved. The Suns champion couldn’t hold on to win the Brownlow Medal.
HISTORY said it was impossible, even for Gary Ablett.
With eight rounds remaining in last night’s count, the brilliant midfielder was five votes ahead in his pursuit of a third Brownlow Medal.
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But as he looked over his shoulder at the chasing pack, Ablett must have known this would be one of the few times that he would be caught.
Asked by former teammate Cameron Ling if he could hold on and claim back to back medals as the count reached a thrilling crescendo, Ablett said; “I don’t think so, I think Josh Kennedy comes home strong”.
As it turned out, the tackle from Pie Brent Macaffer that dislocated Ablett’s shoulder in Round 16 also sabotaged his chances of becoming only the fifth man in history to win three Brownlows.
Football immortality will have to wait until next season for the 30-year-old. But after watching his former Cats’ teammates win the 2011 premiership without him, Ablett has more flags on his mind.
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“I made the decision (to cross to Gold Coast), I still feel like I made the right decision,” Ablett said.
“Hopefully in a few years I can win another one (premiership and maybe end up with) three or four and that would be good.”
By Round 18, his lead had been cut to two and Ablett, for one of the few times in his career, could relax over the final few rounds of the count, knowing it would not be him in the glare of the cameras on stage. That was Matthew Priddis.
The eight-time All-Australian started a $4.50 second favourite, but the history books showed that no man had won the Brownlow missing more than six games in a season and Ablett sat out the last seven.
It was effectively eight matches, considering Ablett was helped off the ground in the third term of his last outing of the season, with 19 possessions to his name.
At that point, he was ranked No. 1 in the competition in as many as eight key statistical categories including possessions, contested possessions, clearances and scoreboard involvement.
Not even a record-breaking start to the season could save the dual premiership superstar.
Ablett was the only player in Brownlow history to have polled 14 votes in the first seven rounds, as he exploded out of the blocks.
He earned maximum votes four times in the first six rounds, ensuring Ablett passed Saint Robert Harvey’s record of 45 best-on-ground performances in Round 9.
And his 22 votes for the night saw him enter the top-four all-time vote-getters with 209, overtaking Leigh Matthews’ 202.
After nine seasons at Geelong, which included his first Brownlow in 2009, it was widely expected Ablett’s flame could fade somewhat trying to shoulder a young side.
But the brilliant midfielder’s legend has grown in the northern state, with Ablett backing up his second Brownlow triumph last year, averaging 32 possessions.
“I felt like I had a good, consistent season up until Round 15 and 16,” Ablett said. “It was obviously disappointing to go down with a shoulder injury after that.
“I wish I could have been out there for the last seven rounds to help the boys but unfortunately I couldn’t and we’ll learn a lot from that.
“As disappointing as it was it was probably good for those third and fourth year players, a good experience for them and no doubt it will help them going to next year.”
Originally published as Gary Ablett surged to an early lead in 2014 Brownlow but couldn’t hold on as Matt Priddis finished strong