Gary Ablett Jr.

Gary Ablett Jr.
File:Garry ablett jr .jpg
Personal information
Original team(s)	Modewarre / Geelong U18s
Debut	Round 1, March 30, 2002, Geelong vs. Essendon, at MCG
Height / weight	182 cm / 86 kg
Position(s)	Midfielder/Forward
Playing career1
Geelong (2002-) 125 games, 165 goals
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2007.
Career highlights
AFL AFL Premiership Player (2007) Leigh Matthews Trophy as MVP (2007) All-Australian (2007) AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year Award (2007) AFL Media Association Player of the Year Award (2007) Herald Sun Player of the Year Award (2007) The Age Player of the Year Award (2007) AFL Players Association MVP Nominee (2007) AFL Coaches Association Team of the Year (2005) Geelong Football Club Geelong Best and Fairest Winner (2007) 3rd Geelong Football Club Best & Fairest (2005, 2006) Geelong Leading Goalkicker (2006) VFL Premiership (2002) AFL Pre-Season NAB Cup Premiership (2006) TAC Cup Vic Country (2001)
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Gary Ablett, Jnr (born May 14, 1984) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Geelong Cats in the AFL. He is the eldest son of Gary Ablett, who was a legendary Australian rules football player at Geelong between 1982 - 1997. While Gary Sr. was a powerhouse forward with an exceptionally high leap, Gary Jr. has made his name as one of the most influential midfielders/forward pocket players in the game, known for his class and uncanny ability to find space in the tightest of pack situations. His younger brother Nathan debuted for the Cats senior team in late 2005, while his cousins Luke Ablett and Shane Tuck are permanent fixtures on the Sydney Swans and Richmond Tigers senior lists respectively.

Career

Gary Jr. was picked up by the Cats under the father-son rule and made his senior debut in 2002. He was selected 12 times in his first season and spent half of the year playing in the reserves, highlighted by helping the Geelong VFL side capture the 2002 VFL Premiership against Port Melbourne at Optus Oval.

After spending five seasons as a dynamic small forward who occasionally pushed up the ground, Ablett, armed with improved fitness levels and a newfound ability to overcome taggers, made the permanent move to the midfield in 2007, where he has grown to become one of the best and most influential midfielders/forward pocket in the game. This was reflected in his outright favouritism in the 2007 Brownlow Medal, awarded to the player adjudged by the umpires as the best and fairest player in the AFL, his sweeping of individual media awards for the season, and his selection as first rover in the 2007 All-Australian team. However, Ablett ultimately lost out on the 2007 Brownlow Medal to his Geelong teammate Jimmy Bartel. Ablett capped off his outstanding year with a solid performance in the record breaking Grand Final win over Port Adelaide. Gary took out a number of media awards and was voted by other players in the AFL as the Most Valuable Player for 2007. He was awarded the Carji Greaves Medal awarded to the best and fairest player in the Geelong Club for 2007. Jimmy Bartel the Brownlow medalist for 2007 was the runner up. Gary's father Gary Ablett Snr received the Carji Greaves medal in 1984, his first year at the club

Public Life

In 2005 Ablett launched a personal website www.garyablettjnr.com [1] which attracted front page media criticism in the Geelong Advertiser newspaper for charging a $100 annual fee to fans for access to "his own thoughts in a monthly news letter "The Ablettiser".

Statistics

Statistics are correct as of end of 2007 season

Season	Team	No.	Games	Goals	Behinds	Kicks	Marks	Handballs	Disposals
2002	Geelong	29	12	10	3	37	13	63	100
2003	Geelong	29	22	26	20	189	61	138	327
2004	Geelong	29	21	35	25	178	46	123	301
2005	Geelong	29	24	29	26	257	65	178	435
2006	Geelong	29	21	35	28	212	74	142	354
2007	Geelong	29	25	30	26	358	98	309	667
Totals			125	165	128	1231	357	953	2184

See also

• List of Australian rules football families

External links

• Gary Ablett Jr.'s playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Gary Ablett Jr.'s profile on the official website of the Geelong Football Club

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