GEELONG has confirmed that star midfielder Gary Ablett will not make a decision on his playing future until the end of 2010.

Ablett, 26, has been targeted by Gold Coast, with chairman John Witheriff suggesting on Friday that the new franchise was "right on track" in assembling its inaugural list and that he was disappointed it couldn't reveal its plans until September.

"Gary Ablett's manager Liam Pickering advised the Cats on Monday that the Brownlow Medallist has still to make a decision as to his future and is unlikely to do so until the end of the season," geelongcats.com.au reads.

"Ablett had previously indicated to the club that he was likely to make a decision around the middle of the season."

On Friday, Geelong chief executive Brian Cook refuted claims that contract negotiations with Ablett had been formally postponed and highlighted his frustrations with the constant speculation surrounding the dual premiership player.

"He's the best player in the AFL, arguably, he's the best player at Geelong, arguably, and all those things, but at the end of the day we just cannot continue to talk about it like this every half-day which we do," he said.

"We have lots of contracts to finish of which Gary, understandably, is the most important but the point I'm making is that let's put the contract to one side, let's worry more about our performance on field.

"[If we] put all our energies into that area and if Gary wants to come and see us next week, next month or at the end of the year then so be it."

Ablett, judged the competition's best player in 2009, has played 177 games since his 2002 debut.