Gary Ablett to miss rest of 2016 season with shoulder injury

SUNS captain Gary Ablett needs surgery on his shoulder and will miss the rest of the season as the Gold Coast injury curse gets even worse.

Gary Ablett leaves the field after hurting his shoulder.

SUNS officials must be again wondering if the football gods oppose a side on the Gold Coast after losing captain Gary Ablett for the third year in a row to injury.

On another dark day for the luckless Suns, scans also confirmed “heart and soul” player Michael Rischitelli requires a knee reconstruction.

Vice-captain Dion Prestia is the only member of the club’s first choice midfield available for Saturday’s clash with the Bulldogs, and he will carry a knee injury into the game in Cairns.

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Ablett may have captained the club for the last time in Saturday’s 26 point QClash win during which he injured his shoulder in a tackle-gone-wrong on Lion Mitch Robinson.

He is strongly tipped to hand over the captaincy to Tom Lynch next season but Ablett said he would be present during his rehabilitation and continue to fulfil his captaincy duties.

“We’re building a strong culture of leadership and accountability on and off the field,’’ he said.

Gary Ablett comes off with an injured shoulder during the QClash.

“While Michael and I will still play that role off the field, I have no doubt that the team, led by our vice-captains Tom Lynch, Steven May and Dion Prestia, will continue holding each other to account.”

The injury to Ablett’s left shoulder came two years and four days after dislocating it in 2014, when he was the reigning Brownlow medallist and an almost unbackable favourite to claim his third “Charlie”

Ablett will consult Greg Hoy, the surgeon who rebuilt his shoulder in 2014, next week and is expected to have an operation almost immediately.

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The recovery period is expected to be about 12 weeks and he should be available for the start of the pre-season.

Ablett had given the Suns cause for optimism when he reported after the match his confidence the injury wasn’t major.

He was spotted lunching in Broadbeach on Sunday, where did not give the impression of a player facing season ending surgery.

Football manager Marcus Ashcroft admitted Monday’s scan results had taken the club by surprise.

“It’s clearly a very disappointing result for Gary and the club but we will make sure he gets the surgery and treatment required to ensure he can return in 2017,’’ Ashcroft said.

He also confirmed 31-year-old Rischitelli, who was playing his 100th game for the Suns after moving from the Lions, would require a reconstruction but backed him to return in the back half of next season.

“He has really been the heartbeat of our club for many, many years so the plans we’ll put in place for ‘Rischa’ will see him get back and play next season, we’re pretty confident of that,’’ Ashcroft said.

“He’s contracted for 2017 and we’re looking forward to him playing many more games with the football club.”

Originally published as Gary Ablett to miss rest of 2016 season with shoulder injury