Gold Coast Suns challenge Gary Ablett to attack the footy harder

GARY Ablett has been challenged by his teammates over his attack on the football and admits an element of self-preservation may have entered his game.

Suns champion Gary Ablett tackling former Geelong teammate Joel Selwood. Picture: AAP

GARY Ablett has been challenged by his teammates over his attack on the football and admits an element of self-preservation may have entered his game.

Ablett has still been among the Suns best players this year, but in the opening month he appeared hesitant to dive into the fray — prompting Lions players after the Q Clash to question whether he was playing injured.

The dual Brownlow medallist concedes his attack on the footy has been down and says he has been working to rectify it.

Saturday night’s disastrous 120-point loss to the Cats was his best performance of the year.

“I know when I am playing my best footy I am in and under winning the contested ball,’’ he said.

“I have been challenged by the boys about that.’’

After injuring his shoulder in Roud 16 2014, Ablett missed 23 of the next 29 games.

Gary Ablett leading the Suns off the Simonds Stadium. Picture: AAP

He is slowly regaining confidence in his body and believes he still has the will to tackle the fierce physical contests.

“I would say yes, but it probably hasn’t shown in the first six weeks,’’ he said.

“It is not that I go in with the attitude that I just have to get through this game, I want to perform and I want to do everything I can to help the team win.

“Whether it is a subconscious thing that I am going out there and I am trying to protect my body a bit more, I am not too sure.

“But I am confident I can get back to playing the type of footy I know I can play.’’

Ablett’s personal life has never been in greater shape. He is happier and more settled on the Gold Coast than at any time since moving north in 2011, due to his off-season marriage to wife Jordan.

Cartoon: Macca

He says he has come to appreciate there is more to life than football and has accepted that he cannot defy the march of father time.

But the competitive beast still rages within.

Asked if he could cope with not being the best player in the competition, he struggled to answer.

“I have high expectations on myself, I want to play well every week, it has been the same throughout my career,’’ he said.

“But I am 31, going on 32 now.

“I sat down with Rocket in the pre-season and we spoke about me playing maybe a little more forward this year.

“That was hard to hear at the time because I want to be right in the heart of the action.

“I probably needed to start putting a little bit more trust in my teammates, knowing these guys are probably in the peak of their careers now.

“So I guess the answer is yes and no ... I still feel like I have got plenty of good footy in me.’’

Originally published as Gold Coast Suns challenge Gary Ablett to attack the footy harder