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Getting over the touchy Ablett ‘pressure’ saga

By Mr Dandalooa

As a West Aussie, I am getting sick of all the hype and speculation about where Gary Ablett is going to play next season.

Worse still, I am over his reaction to all the interest, especially when he “threatened” to leave the game altogether if he is, or feels pressured to quickly make a decision about his playing future.

Like the rest of the world is going to stop if Gary Ablett, touted as the best in the competition, hangs up his boots.

I’m pretty sure and I’ll bet a lot of money on it, all the other AFL team, including his beloved Geelong would all go on to play without the Almighty Ablett.

Umpire whistles will still blow. Traffic lights will still work. Our politicians will continue to lie to the public. Grocery prices will still rise. Petrol prices will continue to fluctuate.

The stark reality is, regardless of this “major” decision, life will go on.

This week, Geelong coach Mark Thompson said the publication of a poster depicting Ablett as a Gold Coast player put the “star-in-demand” under even more pressure to decide his playing future.

Oh my God!! A poster did what?

There have been reports that the Cats were angered by the publication of a digitally-altered image of Ablett wearing the guernsey of the soon-to-enter club, in Monday’s edition of the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper.

Gold Coast will enter the AFL next year and Ablett as reportedly its number one recruiting target.

Geelong has, God forbid, even called on the AFL and the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) to take action on this latest AFL “scandal”.

The club claims the poster was an advertisement and used Ablett’s image in a promotional sense without his authorisation.

So now he is a superstar who needs to be paid for his image to be used even in a satirical sense?

Thompson on Tuesday was obviously not impressed by the publication.

“It’s pretty cheeky really. It just puts more pressure on Gary,” Thompson, who should be more worried about the recently launched season, said.

“It’s a little bit outside the rules and the ethical boundaries of the industry we’re in.

“I don’t think Gary wants to be posted up as a Gold Coast player just yet.”

But the club distanced itself from the publication of the poster, which also directed fans to sign up as members and visit the club’s website.

But here is the real kicker from probably the one person I reckon is fuelling this ridiculous saga even further.

Thompson has tried to sway Ablett to not play at Gold Coast and stay with Geelong, but this week he referred media queries about the Cats’ initiating legal action over the poster’s publication to head honcho Brian Cook.

“I’m the footy coach. I don’t know much about what we’re doing outside of playing,” he said.

“I don’t think Gold Coast will be as cheeky as that again.”

Cheeky? Thompson, you, Ablett and the club need to get a grip on reality.

Ablett recently said in an eastern states newspaper that he wanted to concentrate on his football and would make a decision about his playing future when he was ready.

Fair enough.

But for Geelong to try and get AFLPA involved, and for the association to be in talks with Ablett and his manager about what action to take against the Bulletin, is I think, outrageous.

Geelong began its premiership defence with a 31-point win over Essendon last Friday night.

Perhaps the more important stuff like winning back-to-back premierships should be at the forefront of all of their minds and Thompson should concentrate on the season now and not the speculation that’s around the AFL world at the moment.

It is after all speculation and life will continue to go on regardless of what happens.