RETURNING Geelong superstar Gary Ablett has taken a cheeky swipe at the club he once captained in his first public appearance as a Cat since crossing over from Gold Coast.
The Suns have never played on a Friday night, something the dual Brownlow medallist obviously noticed.
"Does Friday night footy still exist?" Ablett quipped.
Geelong has three Friday night matches scheduled for 2018.
Ablett, 33, spoke of his desire to help the Cats win another flag.
"It has been a different experience, there's no doubt about that. I've missed finals football. I'm a very competitive person and I play to win, so it has been hard not being able to experience that, I guess, the last seven years," he said.
"No doubt that this group down here, speaking to some of the boys, are very driven. Making two preliminary finals, I'm sure has been tough for the group, so we'll be doing everything we possibly can to get to that last Saturday in September and have a crack."
Gold Coast has never finished higher than 12th since it entered the competition in 2011.
The five-time AFLPA MVP signed a deal until the end of 2019 with the Cats, but does not necessarily see that as the finishing point of his career.
"The body's still feeling really great. I feel I've still got some good years left in the midfield and then I may drift forward after that, but who knows? It's one of those things," Ablett said.
"I put a lot of time into my football, a lot of time into my preparation and my recovery. I'll continue to do that and it'll be a decision I make after the next two years."
He officially returns to training with the rest of the list on December 4 but will be in at the club before that to spend time with the younger players he does not know.
Shoulder injuries plagued him at Gold Coast but Ablett declared they were no longer an issue.
"I've been doing a fair bit of training, just to make sure that I'm ready to go day one of pre-season," Ablett said.
"No issues with the shoulder. Obviously I missed a bit of footy at the end of last season but I'm on top of that now."
Despite some older players needing to be nursed through a long campaign, Ablett had no doubts when asked if he would line up in every match.
"That's the aim," Ablett said.
He has not played more than 15 games in a season since 2013.
Ablett has plenty on his plate, with deciding on a home in Geelong or Torquay at the top of the list.
The number he wears is of more public interest. He wore No.29 when previously at the Cats but that has been taken by Cam Guthrie. Ablett said he had not put much thought into it yet.
The death of his elder sister Natasha, the lure of being closer to family and his love of the Cats made Ablett want to complete his fairytale homecoming, but he had no regrets about his decision to move to the Suns at the end of 2010.
"If I could go back, I wouldn't change my decision. I think for me, that's what I needed. Moving away, taking myself out of my comfort zone and working with a young list really helped me grow a lot as a person and as a leader," Ablett said.
His feelings about being back at Geelong mirrored that of the supporters, who never lost their love for one of the greatest to grace an AFL field.
"I'm just super excited, I don't know what else to say. It really is exciting times," Ablett said.
"It's the club that I grew up supporting, spent nine years of my football career here and I'm just super excited about getting back."
Gary Ablett wanders past the Gary Ablett Terrace on Thursday. Picture: AFL Photos
