The Score: Gary Ablett makes headlines after pulling on the No.5 jumper at Geelong training
Gary Ablett is no stranger to the headlines. But he was left with no idea what he’d done to find himself in them on Monday night. Luckily, his wife had all the answers.
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Gary Ablett was oblivious to the fuss. But when he got home on Monday night, his wife Jordan told him that he’d been all over the evening news.
This is not altogether unusual for the Geelong champion, but he thought nothing newsworthy had happened at that day’s special school holidays open training session.
“I got home and Jordie said, ‘You are all over the news’,” Ablett told the To The Final Bell podcast.
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“I’m thinking, ‘What have I done?’ She then says, ‘It’s all good, but apparently you wore the No.5 jumper at training’.”
It turns out that Ablett wearing his father’s famous No.5 jumper at the most-attended training session of the season wasn’t a deliberate ploy or prank.
“I was just looking for a long-sleeved jumper as it was actually quite cold and that’s the one I was given,” Ablett said. “I didn’t even know it had No.5 on the back.”
The Cats lack a full set of long-sleeved training jumpers, so the No.5 is part of a rotation system.
In a wide-ranging podcast interview, Ablett also gave a hint about his future.
His wife’s thoughts and how the top-of-the-table Cats fare in the finals loom as two major factors influencing whether the 35-year-old goes around again.
“I’ve been in the game 18 years now, so I need to get it past her,” he said. “And it all depends on how far we go this year as well.”
ROSS NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE OUTSIDE NOISE
Three online petitions have been launched calling for Fremantle coach Ross Lyon’s sacking.
The fallout from the Dockers horrible 91-point loss to West Coast has landed at the coach’s feet and in typical Lyon fashion, he couldn’t care less.
“I’ve been hearing that (sacking calls) since I first coached round one at St Kilda in 2007, even after a victory,” Lyon said.
“I’m fully committed. I believe I’m the man for the job.
“Three weeks ago I was being lauded. I never fell for it then, and I’m not falling for it now.”
Along with the three petitions to remove Lyon, one — perhaps from a West Coast supporter — was titled “Keep Ross as Coach of Freo for 10 more years”.
Lyon, who has one year left to run on his contract, revealed his wife keeps him up to date with the happenings on social media.
“I’ve heard the noise. I think it’s just hyperbole,” Lyon said. “My wife has a look and says, ‘You know most of them are West Coast supporters’.”
THE WHISPER
Which weekly footy panel show is considering expansion with word it could go to two nights a week next year?
Originally published as The Score: Gary Ablett makes headlines after pulling on the No.5 jumper at Geelong training
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