Gary Ablett Jr could be in 11 heaven when Geelong jumper numbers are handed out

GARY Ablett Jr is poised to pay tribute to his family’s rich history in football with a new number on his back at Geelong.

SHOULD Gary Ablett appear in No. 11 next year in his Geelong return, it will be the culmination of a 40-year journey for the number in his family.

Some remember Gary junior wearing the number in two seasons for the Geelong Falcons in 2000-01, but few would know that his father Gary Sr treasured the same number during his junior days with Drouin Football Club.

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Ablett Sr wore it as a 17-year-old when helping the Drouin Hawks to an easy victory over Cora-Lynn for the West Gippsland Premiership. Ablett, 56, still proudly retains his Drouin No. 11.

“It still amazes me that I have that No. 11 jumper after all these years. When I first went to Geelong in 1984 I wanted the No. 11 but they gave it to another new boy called Greg Williams,” recalled Ablett Sr.

“I had played well in the practice matches and that’s when they decided to give me the No. 5 worn by Polly Farmer. The year we won the flag in 1979 they gave me a barometer for winning the best-and-fairest.

Gary Ablett Jr wearing No. 11 for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup.

Gary Ablett Sr’s No. 11 jumper for Drouin — and the barometer he was given for winning the 1979 best-and-fairest.

“My parents had it on their wall for years and I can tell you what, it’s better than the Bureau at getting the weather right.”

That Ablett and Williams were recruited in the same season is in itself remarkable, giving both were mature-aged and both were coming from country clubs, Ablett from Myrtleford and Williams from Golden Square in Bendigo.

SHEEDY’S SUPERSTARS

ONLY appropriate that Kevin Sheedy should include his best team with the release of his book this week titled “Kevin Sheedy, A game-changing 50 years of footy” — and that it includes both Ablett Sr and Jr.

For those trying to guess, it read like this.

B: Gavin Wanganeen, David Dench, Dustin Fletcher

HB: Bruce Doull, Peter Knights, Corey Enright

C: Francis Bourke, Ian Stewart, Jason Akermanis

HF: Gary Ablett Sr, Wayne Carey, Royce Hart

F: Gary Ablett Jr, Tony Lockett, Leigh Matthews

R: Simon Madden, Michael Voss, Kevin Bartlett

Inter: John Nicholls, James Hird, Chris Judd, Bob Skilton, Jason Dunstall, Mark Ricciuto

Originally published as Gary Ablett Jr could be in 11 heaven when Geelong jumper numbers are handed out