GOLD Coast CEO Mark Evans has bristled at suggestions Gary Ablett has played his last game for the Suns.
Ablett has been ruled out of Saturday's match against Essendon with an ongoing hamstring problem and is in doubt for the final round against Port Adelaide.
The champion midfielder asked for a trade back to Geelong last off-season and has consistently said he would assess his future at the conclusion of the season.
He hasn't ruled out retirement.
A testy Evans said he hadn't contemplated Ablett playing his last game in Suns colours.
"It's not his last game because he's contracted for 2018, so let's hope he keeps playing," Evans said on Wednesday.
"That's my first priority, not talking about farewells to players, but making sure they want to be here the following year."
When pressed further, Evans laughed at reporters, saying, "Stop it, stop it".
Ablett has played at the Suns since their inception, but has been hampered by hamstring problems in the second half of the season.
He captained the club for its first six years before stepping aside for Steven May and Tom Lynch prior to this season.
"If people really think this club is based around one individual, one coach, one CEO, one captain, one star player, one recruit next year, one draftee, if you think it's based around one person, you've got the wrong idea about what high performance sport is about," Evans said.
May said he hoped Ablett would stay.
"He's done a lot for us," May said.
"His decision to come up here and play with us when Geelong was in a premiership window … I'm very thankful.
"If he stays on next year, that's fantastic, but as a football club we can't rely on just one player.
"I know it's not a football-related issue, it's a family thing, and I think family comes first, so whatever Gaz decides to do, I'm fully behind him."