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GARY Ablett is homesick and his manager Liam Pickering hasn't ruled out the Gold Coast superstar requesting a trade at the end of next season. 

It emerged this week that Ablett asked for a shock return to Geelong before the start of the NAB AFL Trade Period. 

But the Suns, who were about to lose young guns Jaeger O'Meara and Dion Prestia, emphatically shut down any suggestion their marquee player would be allowed to walk away with two seasons of a three-year deal remaining on his contract. 

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Speaking on SEN radio on Saturday, Pickering said Ablett's future was up in the air. 

"I don’t know what’s going to happen (next) year," Pickering said.

"He (Ablett) could come out injury-free, have a great year, the Suns could be flying and he might want to recommit to them even longer. 

"I don't know; we're a year out.

"Absolutely there's a possibility he’ll finish the next two years there (at Gold Coast) - I think it’s a probability. 

"He's contracted, he is their current captain."

Asked if it was inevitable that Ablett would become a Cat again, Pickering replied: "There's a lot of water to go under the bridge before he finishes his career". 

Ablett played in two flags for Geelong before leaving at the end of 2010 to take up a mega five-year deal at the Suns. 

The 32-year-old has endured a wretched run with shoulder and knee injuries over the past three seasons, playing only 35 of 66 games as the Suns' finals push stalled.

Pickering wasn’t surprised the star midfielder sought a move home but said Ablett had moved on quickly after being rebuffed.

"He actually just asked the question and said 'I'm homesick' and I want to get around my family," Pickering said.

"We asked the question, it was a pretty straightforward discussion and it was over as quickly as it was asked.

"Everyone wants to be around their family, he's newly-married … he's been gone for six years.

"He's moved forward, he's worked with the Suns to try and recruit these players throughout the (trade) period."

Ablett is expected to relinquish the captaincy for next season, with star forward Tom Lynch and defender Steven May tipped to be co-captains.