WATCH out Greater Western Sydney - Gary Ablett’s football is coming back to life.
Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna admits his champion skipper has been running on empty the past month, but says Ablett has shown sparks of his old self in the past week.
After rocketing to an unbackable favourite to win the Brownlow Medal after a 49-disposal performance against Collingwood in round 17, Ablett surprisingly went off the boil.
In the past month he has averaged 'just' 24 disposals – down from his previous season average of 33 – and failed to impact contests to his usual staggering standards.
But in an ominous warning ahead of Sunday's season finale against GWS at Metricon Stadium, McKenna says he can see Ablett getting his bounce back.
Injuries to midfielders Michael Rischitelli and David Swallow in the past month, along with the strain on rookie Jaeger O'Meara, has forced McKenna to keep Ablett on the ground for longer periods.
"He's had to go forward and hasn't had that luxury of coming off," McKenna said.
"It's not ideal, of course, because we know how dynamic he can be. That extra load has taken an edge off him.
"I've got to take my hat off to the people that have been playing on him. They've played him real tight. He just hasn't had that spark and energy to get off them and on the weekend I just started to see him kick over.
"He's starting to feel fresh. He certainly wants to finish off the year really hard."
Ablett and his fellow senior players ran Thursday's main training session for the Suns.
McKenna said his captain was not the only one feeling the pinch late in the season.
The Suns have had a crippling injury toll since the bye and the likely withdrawals of Daniel Gorringe (stomach) and Greg Broughton (Achilles) from the team to play the Giants will only add to that.
McKenna said the young Sydney-siders – 12 months the junior of their expansion club rivals – were in a similar boat with injuries.
He expected them to lift for Kevin Sheedy's last game in charge, though.
"I don't think they'd be happy with their performance last week," McKenna said.
"This is officially his last game. I'm sure they will (lift). They've got a couple of injuries and key personnel out, but I think the players certainly play for Kevin. It will be on for young and old, that's for sure."
