Superstar Gary Ablett urged to keep open mind on playing future

Superstar Gary Ablett has announced 2020 will be his football swan song. He turns 36 next year, but noone at the Cats expects the Little Master to move on if he has still got it.

The Little Master struggled in the 2019 finals series.

Gary Ablett has been urged to keep an open mind about his future despite declaring 2020 will be his football swan song.

Ablett has admitted he was leaning towards retiring in September but will play on for one final season in a year where he turns 36 in May.

The eight-time All Australian and dual Brownlow Medallist made the All Australian 40 and kicked 34.18 but was kept in check by opponents in the second half of the season.

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Could Ablett play on in 2021? Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Tom Atkins grew up idolising Ablett and says his “pinch-me” moment came in Round 5 when Ablett kicked three electric goals from 23 possessions.

He said yesterday Ablett’s form in the early part of the summer meant no one at Geelong would be expecting the little master to call it quits.

“I wouldn’t say it’s his last year. He has been flying so far so I think it’s up to him if he plays on but it was shown last year in the early part of the year how good he could be,’’ Atkins said.

“He was up for All Australian contention at one point. I definitely don’t reckon his best footy is behind him. He will have another great year and then make a decision at the end of the year.

The Little Master struggled in the 2019 finals series.

“Being a kid from Geelong, I grew up watching him here and then he went away and it’s pretty surreal to run out next to him and you try to soak up as much as you can from him, he’s a special player.”

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“(That moment) came when we played Hawthorn on Easter Monday when he kicked that checkside snap from the pocket and it went through and I was 10m inboard trying to call for the handball. But once it went through he turned to the crowd and everyone was going nuts and it was like, wow, this is actually happening, I am on the field when one of the greatest players ever is playing.”

Originally published as Superstar Gary Ablett urged to keep open mind on playing future