Goldcoastfc.com.au takes a look at the career of Gary Ablett Jnr in a three part series, to be released as we countdown to his 300th AFL game.

When Gary Ablett Jnr was drafted with pick No. 40 in the 2001 AFL National Draft, some had doubts if he would reach the same heights as his illustrious father.

Gary Ablett Snr, known affectionately as God, played 248 games, kicked 1030 goals, was a four time All Australian, three time Coleman Medalist and was named in the AFL Team of Century.

However, approaching his 300th AFL game milestone, Gary Ablett Jnr has forged quite the career, which started back in the first round of 2002 where he made his debut for Geelong against Essendon.

In his maiden year, Ablett averaged 8.3 disposals from 12 games as he plied his trade as a small forward and adjusted to life as a professional AFL footballer.

Over the coming years Ablett exhilarated fans with his footballing nous, electric pace and precise kick (although instead with a full head of hair) as he continued to play primarily as a small forward.

In 2005 and 2006, as his potential to impact the game grew, Ablett played largely across the half forward line and was slowly introduced into the midfield.

It was now abundantly obvious to the football world that Ablett could play, and had the potential to go on to rewrite the AFL history books as he came into his prime.

He came third in Geelong’s best and fairest in those years and was the club’s leading goal kicker in 2006 with 35 goals across 21 games.

By 2007 Ablett’s legacy would only grow.

Being thrown into a more permanent role in the midfield, Ablett flourished, averaging 26.7 disposals as the Cats strived to hold up the premiership cup on that last day in September.

On Grand Final day, Ablett’s Cats dominated Port Adelaide to win the 2007 Grand Final by 119 points, and he picked up 19 disposals to go with a goal.

Following the history making game, Ablett was awarded the club’s Best and Fairest award for the first time – arguably one of the ultimate individual honours of the game; winning the best and fairest in a premiership year.

The accolades continued to follow; All Australian, AFL Player’s Association MVP, and the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year.

Come 2008, Hawthorn may have been able to stop Geelong in the Grand Final, but they certainly couldn’t stop the Little Master, who gathered 34 disposals and two goals on Grand Final day.

However, it was in 2009 where the football public viewed him as quite literally, unstoppable.

Averaging 33.8 disposals a game across the season, he and his Cats went on to win another premiership, defeating St Kilda by 12 points in a wet and rainy affair.

Now 25-years old, Ablett was once again awarded the club’s Best and Fairest in a premiership year together with All Australian honours, AFL Player’s Association MVP and the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year, each for the third consecutive time.

It was September 21 when Ablett added yet another honour to his name, the 2009 Brownlow Medal (30 votes).

Come 2010, Ablett again backed it up to produce a season where he was runner up in the Brownlow Medal to Chris Judd on the back of averaging 31.5 disposals a game.

That season he also booted 44 goals for the Cats, almost unheard of from any midfielder, highlighting how The Little Master could do everything the game asked of him with the greatest of ease.

Ablett was on top of his game, conquering any challenges that stood in his way. He was a household name across the country and had stepped outside his father’s shadow to carve an AFL career of his own.

From not knowing if he was good enough to play at the elite level, to becoming one of the greatest players of a generation, Ablett’s AFL journey was still set to make headlines for years to come.

The biggest was undoubtedly when the announcement broke in September 2011 that Gary Ablett Jnr had signed with the AFL’s newest club, the Gold Coast SUNS.

WATCH: The Story of the Little Master