Gary Ablett Jr signs for AFL Cairns club Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs

Arguably the best player in AFL history has signed to play with a local footy club on the eve of season 2023. Here’s why.

Central Trinity Beach Bulldogs have signed arguably the biggest name in Australian rules football on the eve of season 2023.

Gary Ablett Jr will return to Cairns to lace up for the Bulldogs in the round four clash against North Cairns Tigers on Saturday May 6.

Known as ‘the little master’, Ablett played 247 games for Geelong and 110 games for the Gold Coast Suns.

Gary Ablett (left) will lace up his boots for the Central Trinity Beach Bulldogs in round four. (Photo by Graham Denholm/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The son of Geelong’s great Gary Ablett Senior, Ablett jnr kicked 321 goals for Geelong and 124 for the Suns.

Central Trinity Beach Bulldogs Football Manager Sam Blease said it was an idea that just popped into his head.

“I took it to the committee end of last season for just an idea and they were pretty happy with it,” Blease said.

“He is arguably the best player to have ever played the game, so to get someone up like him will do wonders for our whole club.

“I remember lining up against him and you sit there and go, that's Gary Ablett.

“So I can imagine what the boys will be like being able to train with him, play with him and the Tigers playing against him.”

Ablett played four games for Gold Coast in Cairns, averaging just under 30 disposals a game.

He won his first Brownlow Medal when at Geelong in their premiership year of 2009 and then his second when at the Gold Coast in 2013.

The two time premiership player with Geelong signed a five year deal in 2010 to join Gold Coast ahead of its first season in 2011 and was named the teams inaugural captain.

Ablett’s final AFL season came in the Covid affected 2020, where Geelong lost to Richmond in the grand final at the Gabba.

Since his retirement from elite level, Ablett played in the Northern Territory Football League for the Palmerston Magpies in season 2022/23.

The round four clash will also be ‘Wayne Jackson round’ for the Bulldogs as they remember one of the greats of their club.

Wayne Jackson played for the Bulldogs before his sudden death in the week leading up to a clash against the Tigers in 1995.

Jackson won the league goalkicking honours three times to go with a Crathern Medal in 1987.

“It was going to be a big weekend for the club with Wayne Jackson Day,” Blease said.

“Now we will have two reasons to celebrate such a day and I do believe Gary will get around that.”

Originally published as Gary Ablett Jr signs for AFL Cairns club Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs