Gary Ablett: Australian Football
Gary Ablett, Sr. (born 1 October 1961) was an Australian rules footballer best known for his 12-year career with the Australian club, Geelong. Ablett played six games for Hawthorn in the 1980s before joining Geelong. He is widely recognized as one of Australian football’s greatest players as a full forward and wing.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Gary Ablett helped Geelong during the 1989 Grand Final where he kicked a record nine goals in a losing team. He is Geelong’s top player with the most goals kicked with over 1,000 goals in 242 games. Some of his career highlights including Geelong Best & Fairest in 1984, three-time Coleman Medal award, All-Australian team and captain for 3 years, Norm Smith Medal award, Mark of the Century award, a two-time Mark of the Year. More of his career highlights include the Geelong Player of the National Era award from 1984 to 1996, Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFLPA MVP Award), Australian Sports Medal and the Centenary Medal. He became captain of Victoria in 1995, was a representative of the Victoria Team of the 20th Century and the AFL Team of the Century. Ablett was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and Geelong Football Club Hall of Fame.
Why Was He So Good?
Gary Ablett’s outstandingly attention-grabbing performance made the ‘superstar’ label suit him. He constantly had such excessive top marking abilities and techniques, fiery speed and exceptional two-sided kicking skills, which credited to his extremely high attentiveness and focus of his fast-jolting muscles.
What You May Know
- Gary Ablett retired at the end of the 1996 season, adding 242 senior league games for Geelong.
His brothers Geoff and Kevin also played VFL football. - At the age of 15, he dropped out of high school to become a bricklayer’s laborer.
- When he was 16, he played for the Drouin seniors with his brothers.
- He married Sue in 1985 and had four children. They later became estranged due to Gary’s mental health and substance abuse problems.
Related Pages
- More Australian Football legendary players
- Athlete Database home
- About the sport of Australian Football
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