Gary Ablett Sr hits back at suggestions he is selling all of his football memorabilia for money

A “frustrated” Gary Ablett Sr has hit back at suggestions he is selling all of his football memorabilia for financial reasons in an exclusive interview.

Gary Ablett Sr has refuted suggestions he is selling “all” of his fabled memorabilia collection “purely for financial reasons”.

A report earlier this week on SEN’s Sportsday claimed Ablett, 62, was selling “everything, including his 1989 Norm Smith Medal and three Coleman medals”.

“All of Gary Ablett’s personal items are up for sale, there are 200 plus items with the catalogue being pieced together right now,” Kane Cornes said on SEN.

The report drew an angry response from Ablett, who claims “it’s frustrating and annoying that the mainstream media takes the story and distorts and twists the truth to suit their own narrative”.

“I don’t need to sell anything for financial reasons and I’m certainly not selling all of my memorabilia,” Ablett Sr said.

“The collection doesn’t include any of my medals such as the 1989 Norm Smith, three Colemans and the 1984 Geelong best and fairest.

“I’ve been constantly asked for a number of years by people in the memorabilia game what I did with all my trophies and memorabilia from my playing days.

“Most of it has been in storage for 25-30 years and when they put it to me that people would get a lot of enjoyment from having some of those items, I finally agreed to sell some items.

Gary Ablett receives the Norm Smith Medal after kicking nine goals in the 1989 Grand Final.

“I have not mentioned to anyone about selling everything including any of my medals, neither do I need to sell these items. However, if people get some enjoyment from them, then it’s better than them sitting in storage.

“I’m extremely frustrated and annoyed by the mainstream media’s initial reports that went global, saying I need to sell everything for financial reasons, including medals. It is fake news. Unfortunately the mainstream media has a habit of focusing on the controversial and sensational, because clearly the plain old truth doesn’t sell.

“I have never been someone who has awards or photos of my career on display at home. I’m sure that’s the case for many other ex-footballers.”

Originally published as Gary Ablett Sr hits back at suggestions he is selling all of his football memorabilia for money