Gaz only getting better

[Ricochet]

http://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/2014-05-01/gaz-only-getting-better-with-age

Just when you thought the game's best player couldn't possibly get any better - he has.

At age 29, fans could forgive Gary Ablett for playing out the latter part of his career as a damaging small forward, enjoying the luxury of kicking goals while his younger accomplices in David Swallow, Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara shoulder the grunt work in the midfield.

But after a record seven consecutive All Australian honours, five AFLPA MVP awards, five Best & Fairest awards, two Brownlow Medals and two premiership medallions, Ablett is showing no sign of slowing down.  In fact, based on his opening six performances, statistics reveal the superstar is actually improving with age in four key areas.

He has won an average of 18.3 contested possessions in his first half-dozen matches this season, up from his previous best of 15.1 in 2011.

His clearance count has rocketed to a career high 8.5 per match, his tackling is more potent than ever at 6.7 per game and amazingly his scoring accuracy is marked at 90.9 per cent, which indicates how dangerous he can be inside the forward 50.

Of course, none of this has come as a surprise to Gold Coast's midfield coach, Matthew Primus, who in his two seasons with the GC SUNS has had the joy mentoring one of the game's modern greats.

For Primus, the most impressive feat to come from Ablett's sustained place at the top has been his ability to withstand hard tags week-in, week-out.

As the constant focus for competition rivals, almost every one of his touches has come under the duress of tight opposition attention.

"As a team we've focused on our contested possessions, because it helps us stay in games longer. And there's no doubt that, even over the last couple of weeks, Gary knows when games are slipping away from us or when our intensity's dropping, and he's very good at winning balls at key moments in games," Primus told The Age.

"Most of the time he does have someone in his back pocket, so to do what he does around contests is outstanding.

"His tackles stick, he's really good at stripping the opposition of the ball, and some of the games we've played have been pretty wet and slippery, so that might have contributed as well."

Primus believes Ablett can continue to wreak havoc for opposition midfields for as long as he wants to keep playing.

Despite still being in career-best form, though, Primus knows only too well the body and mind can only keep charging for so long.

But for now, he says the Gold Coast champion still has the keys to the SUNS midfield engine.

"We'd like Gary to not get crashed and bashed as much as he does, but it will slowly turn around. At the moment, him winning it in close usually ends up in a possession to us, but our midfield group's synergy is getting better and better and more of that work is getting shared around," he said.

"You'd think that as we mature as a team, it's going to make his job easier. Other guys will learn to win their own ball and, as they become better skilled and take better care of the ball, Gary might become even more dangerous.

"He's just such a competitor. It doesn't matter what anyone says to him - that he's getting older, that his body will get sore - he doesn't believe any of it and he wants to be our best player for as long as he can be."

[Grufflez]

Brings a tear to my eye, luv the little champ and want to trade Caddy back for him  :'(

[Mailman the 2nd]

When Gary Ablett retires, he'll be considered with Leigh Matthews as the greatest AFL player of all time

[Grazz]

Yep he is, his stats say it all. Legend gets thrown around all to easy these days but for him it fits perfectly. When he hangs up the boots it will be the little master standing at the top of a brilliant group comfortably.

[Cookie311993]

He has really helped the Gold Coast young guns come through. Couldn't ask for a better mentor

[Ricochet]

He has really helped the Gold Coast young guns come through. Couldn't ask for a better mentorp

yeh man the advice he would be giving these kids is invaluable

[tbagrocks]

Not so sure he is actually any better but I will be there next week, seeing him for the first time at the new Adelaide Oval ;D

[Cookie311993]

He has really helped the Gold Coast young guns come through. Couldn't ask for a better mentorp

yeh man the advice he would be giving these kids is invaluable

They seem to be taking his knowledge in leaps and bounds. They have really improved a lot this season

[Bill Manspeaker]

this has probably already been said somewhere, but I didn't know where else to put it

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-05-27/mrp-verdict-on-gazza

The Match Review Panel sourced new vision and then conducted an investigation before deciding that ''the contact made to the body was below that required to constitute a reportable offence".

I somehow think that anyone other than Gaz would've been suspended, but I don't care. Gabbles for brownlow ;D

[Nige]

I somehow think that anyone other than Gaz would've been suspended, but I don't care. Gabbles for brownlow ;D

I love GAJ and all, but this is true. And if it was somebody like say - Jack Ziebell, they'd have got two weeks. Not just one.  :P

[Ricochet]

this has probably already been said somewhere, but I didn't know where else to put it

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-05-27/mrp-verdict-on-gazza

The Match Review Panel sourced new vision and then conducted an investigation before deciding that ''the contact made to the body was below that required to constitute a reportable offence".

I somehow think that anyone other than Gaz would've been suspended, but I don't care. Gabbles for brownlow ;D

I kind of disagree only because the force was so low. But who knows with the MRP lol

[Bill Manspeaker]

yeah that's it. never know what the MRP will think or how they will rule on the force or whatever, but to throw an elbow back and hit a bloke on the ground is pretty dirty. but then again, Picken was all over Ablett on the day so you should be allowed to hit taggers IMO :P

[valkorum]

I somehow think that anyone other than Gaz would've been suspended, but I don't care. Gabbles for brownlow ;D

Judd got away with one that actually caused blood to flow (Judd elbowed Pav's nose)

Back on topic: GAJ is superstar of the game and is clearly the best player in the game. 

#1 GAJ
D
A
Y
L
I
G
H
T
The rest.

[elephants]

The MRP report should have said this:

"The contact was deserving of a weeks suspension but because it was Picken on the recieving end, we will turn a blind eye."

#GAJ4brownlow

[Justin Bieber]

Imagine Gary winning the brownlow by 10 votes but he's suspended. He will also be at the night because he was the previous winner. Giving some loser the  medal he easily won would make the game look entirely silly. That would a be nightmare for the game.