Ablett just start of player raid, warns Costa

Andrew Mathieson
AFL PREMIER Geelong is bracing for raids on a host of midfield stars after new club Gold Coast had secret meetings with Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett.
Rumours Ablett was a prime target to join brother Nathan at the new club were confirmed when he was spotted earlier this week talking to GC17 officials at a Broadbeach apartment complex.
Cats president Frank Costa said the club expected attempts to poach Ablett, Joel Selwood or Jimmy Bartel over the coming months.
“We’re not concerned about that – it’s something we expected,” he said.
“The Gold Coast wouldn’t be doing its job if it wasn’t trying to get the very best players.
“We know they will target our best players.
“If they fail with Gary, they will go to Joel and, if they fail with him, too, they will probably go to Bartel, we think.”
The next club to enter the AFL in 2011 is free to sign one uncontracted player from each of the 16 existing clubs.
Costa said the “normal way” to formalise a new offer to Ablett would be in the last year of his contract.
Ablett’s manager Liam Pickering has already been in talks with the Cats this year.
Media reports said Gold Coast could offer the champion onballer around $1.5 million a year, which Geelong could not match.
But Costa said loyalty would be the deciding factor in “Geelong born and bred” Ablett remaining a Cat.
“If you cut his wrists, you’d get blue and white blood pouring out,” he said.
“Most footballers who have grown up in Geelong want to finish their career with the one club, in the blue and white hoops, in Geelong where they have all their friends and their families.
“I know that’s a very big thing for Gary.”