The Geelong Cats are preparing to bid farewell to Gary Ablett Jr, a player whose name now stands alone without need for a suffix. For fans who grew up in Geelong during the 1990s, the legend of Gary Ablett was as certain as eternal disappointment. While his father, Gary Ablett Sr, delivered individual brilliance without team success, the son has completed the story with premiership glory.
Ablett Jr was drafted without superstar expectations, but his transformation from a small forward to an elite midfielder was rapid. After being warned by teammates in 2007 that he was lazy, he returned as the league's best player, showcasing explosive pace, freakish core strength, and damaging long-range kicking. His match-winning goal in the 2007 preliminary final, sending Geelong to their first grand final in 12 years, became iconic.
He went on to become a premiership hero in 2007 and 2009 before shattering the romance of the Geelong-Ablett story by moving to the Gold Coast Suns on a lucrative contract. Despite leaving, he remained the best in the game, and the lowly Suns were worth watching just to see him play. When he returned to Geelong as an opponent, he received a standing ovation after kicking an impossible goal against his old club.
Ablett eventually returned home for one final shot at a flag. In 2018, he spent time signing autographs and taking selfies at a VFL final, showing humility when a fan told him how special it was to watch him play with a young cousin. Last year, three generations of his family watched him fly high on Easter Monday, soaring for a spectacular mark over a Hawthorn player.
As his career winds down, fans reflect on a player who created continuity through a family dynasty. From the baby-faced kid with long blond hair to the veteran leader, Ablett Jr has earned his place alongside his father in Geelong's history. The end is nigh, but we will never see a player like him again.
