NATHAN Ablett has been back training at Skilled Stadium in an apparent sign the 22-year-old may want to resume his football career.

Despite Geelong VFL coach Leigh Tudor saying Ablett had frequented the cattery “every now and again”, he stressed that the younger brother of Brownlow medal favourite Gary Ablett was not actually training with the club.

Instead, he is working out in his own time.

“He was down there yesterday, you always see him around,” Tudor told afl.com.au on Thursday.

“He just comes in and does some stuff and off he goes.

“He was down yesterday with Gary, so yeah he just floats in and out.”

Tudor said everyone at Geelong was desperate for Ablett, who booted 34 goals in 21 matches in 2007, to return to the field.

Last week senior coach Mark “Bomber” Thompson said he had his “fingers crossed” the Cats could persuade the promising forward to pull the boots back on.

“Everyone has a chat to him,” Tudor said.

Asked if he speaks to the premiership forward about returning to the field, Tudor replied: “Everyone does.”

“He just says he’s just still thinking about it, [about] what he wants to do,” he said.

“That’s up to him. I think [assistant football manager] Steve Hocking and [Geelong player development manager] Ron Watt and Bomber are looking after that.”

Ablett effectively quit football in late November despite having played in the Cats' Grand Final win.

Geelong officials have said that should Ablett not return to the field this year, they would need to know his intentions by October 31 – when his contract expires and when the club would need to finalise its senior list for 2009.