An exclusive AFLCA/afl.com.au survey has revealed seven of the League's 16 senior coaches gave Ablett the nod when asked who they thought was the best player in the competition.
However, Ablett's gap on the other elite players appears to be narrowing.
Nick Riewoldt - who didn't earn a vote from the coaches last season - received four nominations in the survey, which was conducted before the Saint seriously damaged his hamstring in the round-three match against Collingwood.
Carlton skipper Chris Judd again polled well with three votes, while Jonathan Brown and Simon Goodwin were the other players to receive votes.
Last year Ablett, who has won the AFL Coaches Association's Player of the Year for the past three seasons, received nine votes from the 16 coaches.
One coach rated Ablett's ability to "impact games" while another said his "game-winning ability" earned him his vote.
As for Riewoldt, one coach noted his dominance while another admired the Saint's consistency.
"Key position forwards of that quality are hard to find," the coach said.
A Judd fan said the Carlton champ was "the most complete player in the game" while Brown's admirer said the Lions skipper's ability to do damage in attack made him a standout.
"In a defensive game, he stands above and regularly beats two opponents," the coach said.
The survey, commissioned exclusively for afl.com.au and prepared under the auspices of the AFL Coaches Association, was conducted anonymously with coaches able to vote for their own players.
This year the coaches were asked to nominate a player with fewer than 50 games' experience they thought could one day assume the mantle as the game's best.
Check afl.com.au later on Friday afternoon to learn who the coaches believe is the next big thing.
