The Gold Coast SUNS congratulates its inaugural AFL captain Gary Ablett Jnr on his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
The Little Master was one of six new inductees at Tuesday night’s Australian Football Hall of Fame function at Crown Palladium in Melbourne.
Ablett makes history as the first Gold Coast SUNS player to be inducted. Making his club debut as captain in the club’s inaugural match in 2011, Ablett led the SUNS in 110 matches across six seasons.
Gold Coast SUNS Chairman Bob East congratulated Ablett on his induction.
“On behalf of everyone at the Gold Coast SUNS, we would like to congratulate Gary on this incredible honour,” East said.
“Gary’s impact on our organisation in our inaugural seasons was profound, both on and off the field. He led from the front and helped lay the foundations for what our football club has become today.”
“He will go down in history as our club’s first ever captain, a life member, one of our greatest players, and now fittingly, a member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame.”
Inaugural Gold Coast SUNS Senior Coach Guy McKenna coached Ablett throughout the club’s first four seasons and says his contributions were immense.
“Gary’s achievements as a player are well documented, but his impact off the field was incredible. For every Brownlow Medal he won on the field, I'd say he would have deserved many more for his contributions behind the scenes.
“Coming into a new environment at a brand-new club with so many young players, he was the perfect role model. What he added to our club, and the community on the Gold Coast during those first seasons was invaluable."
“He was not only a tremendous player, but he’s a tremendous person and I'm thrilled to see him earn this recognition."
Gold Coast SUNS Chief Executive Mark Evans said, “This is a tremendous achievement for Gary, his wife Jordan, their three beautiful children Levi, Grace and Ezra and the broader Ablett family. I’m sure it’s one that they are all immensely proud of, as we are as a football club.”
“Gary has left a lasting legacy, having inspired and captivated the Gold Coast community and so many young Gold Coast footballers. Kids like Bodhi Uwland, Ethan Read, Will Graham, Jed Walter and many others grew coming to games to watch 'Gaz' and wanting to become AFL footballers here on the Gold Coast just like him.
Throughout that time, he solidified his place as one of the game’s greats. He became Gold Coast’s first Brownlow Medal winner in 2013, joining an illustrious list of multiple-time winners having previously won the honour in 2009.
Ablett departed Gold Coast at the conclusion of the 2017 season as a four-time Club Champion - a club record that continues to stand - an eight-time All Australian, two-time SUNS leading goalkicker and would go on to be awarded SUNS life membership in 2021.
After returning to Geelong in 2018, he called time on a career spanning 357 games and included two premierships at the end of the 2020 season.
He now joins father Gary Ablett Snr, who was inducted in 2005, in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
