Nathan Ablett

[winty]

Despite all the hoopla by some Cats, when he was with us he was just an average contributor. Played every game one year and didn't feature in the top 10 in the CG Medal. He was made look half decent by playing in a champion team. His true worth has been shown on the GC where McKenna said he would have been chopped before this had he not had size, something they lack - and having the name Ablett didn't hurt I suspect. And that's not mentioning how unreliable he is. Come back and visit us Nate, but leave your footy gear at home.

Agree with the bolded part. Even watching the 2007 grand final, he only really played well for a 5 minute patch in the second term and about 10 minutes in the third. He could have moments where he would break open a pack or take a freaky one handed grab and snap a goal, and then he'd just stand at the top of the goal square and not even present for a quarter or so.

When he wanted to exert himself, he could do anything. Unfortunately he didn't want to do it often enough.

 

[darrenmorgan]

the arctic monkeys? was a completely useless comparison. well done.

 

[barmy44]

the arctic monkeys? was a completely useless comparison. well done.

no, it wasnt.

Nathan is a fool. Who would walk away from an AFL dream? Any local footballer would give their right testicle to even get a look-in at the AFL. Hell, I would even persue an AFL career, if I weren't so unco-ordinated and not good at any sports. Yet, Nathan walked away from the fame, fortune, accolades and all AFL has to offer, to play footy with his mates in the park. What a child!

you know the bass player of the arctic monkeys walked out on that band after releasing the fastest selling debut album in UK music history.

why? cause being a rockstar didnt fulfill him.

nathan ablett walked away from the AFL, andy nicholson walked away from a hugely successful music career.

both walked out on careers that are highly desirable to millions, in australia and around the world, and many saw the decisions as letting themselves and their fans down.

perfect comparison.

so that decision makes nathan ablett a child? id say it makes him far more grown up than someone who sticks at a career they hate to make others happy.

nathan walked away from AFL to "play footy with his mates in the park."

andy walked away cause he would rather "walk my dog with my girlfriend than be a professional musician."

you dont see the similarities here? there is so much more than football, or music, or careers. just cause the majority of people would take a certain path in a heartbeat, doesnt mean those that have the chance have to do it.

if nathan didnt want to be an AFL player after '07, why the hell should he? if andy nicholson didnt want to be a millionaire rockstar, why the hell should he?

i actually admire nathan for giving up such a lucrative career that he obviously just didnt care about. not many people have the balls to do that.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

What a unit.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

What a unit.

Wow, that is amazing

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

If the passion to play beyond 2007 wasn't there then that's it. It wasn't there. Nathan did some good stuff in 2007 though, and got to play in a Premiership with his brother!



Maybe that's all he ever wanted...

 

[dudusmaximus]

Love that we had him, albeit for a short time. The world was his oyster. But as we heard, he liked to play with his food. (Easy Kettleable Dinners, anyone?)

 

[Commando]

If the passion to play beyond 2007 wasn't there then that's it. It wasn't there. Nathan did some good stuff in 2007 though, and got to play in a Premiership with his brother!



Maybe that's all he ever wanted...

Decent skills either side of the body in these highlights!

Kicked 3 in GF win!
Most players would sign up for that anyday

 

[Vdubs]

Decent skills either side of the body in these highlights!

Kicked 3 in GF win!
Most players would sign up for that anyday

My saddest footy memory is this player retiring after the 07 GF. LOVED watching his superb both feet shots on goal and his athleticism and footy smarts. Genetic of course.

 

[Wish Wellingtons]

My saddest footy memory is this player retiring after the 07 GF. LOVED watching his superb both feet shots on goal and his athleticism and footy smarts. Genetic of course.

Imagine being gifted Snr's talent in a 2m package.... And deciding you didn't feel like it. That is why people were so frustrated. Some of us have tried so hard with so little and he tried so little with so much.

Obviously it is completely unreasonable to expect him to want what you think he should want. But still mate...

 

[gogeelongcats]

Imagine being gifted Snr's talent in a 2m package.... And deciding you didn't feel like it. That is why people were so frustrated. Some of us have tried so hard with do little and he tried so little with do much.

Obviously it is completely unreasonable to expect him to want what you think he should want. But still mate...

He had the potential, AND MOST LIKELY the best player in the AFL.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

If the passion to play beyond 2007 wasn't there then that's it. It wasn't there. Nathan did some good stuff in 2007 though, and got to play in a Premiership with his brother!



Maybe that's all he ever wanted...

Geez he had some skills, such a smooth mover. It looked like he lost the joy as the year went on. Could've been anything - 34.18 goals and 15 goal assists that year. Having him and Gaz playing together for a short time was great for the fans though. Grateful we got to see it, as fleeting as it was.

 

[MacStradbroke]

Geez he had some skills, such a smooth mover. It looked like he lost the joy as the year went on. Could've been anything - 34.18 goals and 15 goal assists that year. Having him and Gaz playing together for a short time was great for the fans though. Grateful we got to see it, as fleeting as it was.

Common forgotten fact that our team during that era was sooo good yet also lost the ridiculously talented CHF in Nathan Ablett and AA CHB Matthew Egan at very young ages. Ridiculous to think we overcome those losses without missing a beat (Harry certainly helped).

 

[Live in hope]

Remember calling the club about a membership query in the early naughties and the department officer ventured that the club thought that Gary junior would be an ‘okay’ (!) player but the club thought the yet to be recruited Nathan would be a superstar.

Hope Nathan looks back with pride - amazing highlights for an inexperienced player and a premiership (in a game he could have had 5 goals- one easy shot miss and Mooney taking a mark out of his hands in the last quarter).

 

[winty]

It's a shame we never got to see a Hawkins-Nathan Ablett forward tandem. Would've been fun watching them terrorize opposition defences for a decade.

 

[Spearman]

Sports need their eccentrics. IMO the lore of the game is very important to its appeal. It's one of those things that can make you love the sport.
I played baseball at a fairly high level, but never really loved the game. Until Ken Burns's baseball documentary came out. It was the history and, more so, the lore that hooked me. For example, where all the brand names and sayings originally came from. But the best was about the players, especially the great ones, and their idiosyncrasies. One guy, a great fearsome pitcher, had to be physically restrained from running off the mound and chasing after any ambulance or police car that passed the stadium with its siren going.
Nathan's stories has to kept, forever, in GFC lore.

 

[Strange Cat]

He could had been anything , but gals to watch him play with Gaz for abit

 

[Baudolino]

Having him and Gaz playing together for a short time was great for the fans though. Grateful we got to see it, as fleeting as it was.

Their synergy was insane, imagine if Nablett hadn't lost interest in the sport and we'd had him and GAJ in these peak years together, it would have been unstoppable.

 

[CatRiot]

Common forgotten fact that our team during that era was sooo good yet also lost the ridiculously talented CHF in Nathan Ablett and AA CHB Matthew Egan at very young ages. Ridiculous to think we overcome those losses without missing a beat (Harry certainly helped).

We added JPod too... JPod and H Taylor were great recruits at the time.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

We added JPod too... JPod and H Taylor were great recruits at the time.

Everybody talks about Leo Barry (you star!) and 'the toepoke' gets all the glam from the 2009 Grand Final, but Harry Taylor's mark (7:25 on the vid) was MASSIVE.

 

[dudusmaximus]

Everybody talks about Leo Barry (you star!) and 'the toepoke' gets all the glam from the 2009 Grand Final, but Harry Taylor's mark (7:25 on the vid) was MASSIVE.

Was impressed then by Rooke's professionalism (to complete his kick). To quote Jony Ive, "It's like finishing the back of a drawer. Nobody's going to see it, but you do it anyway."
Note: Jony Ive was talking about attention to detail in Design

 

[bruce lindner]

Sports need their eccentrics. IMO the lore of the game is very important to its appeal. It's one of those things that can make you love the sport.
I played baseball at a fairly high level, but never really loved the game. Until Ken Burns's baseball documentary came out. It was the history and, more so, the lore that hooked me. For example, where all the brand names and sayings originally came from. But the best was about the players, especially the great ones, and their idiosyncrasies. One guy, a great fearsome pitcher, had to be physically restrained from running off the mound and chasing after any ambulance or police car that passed the stadium with its siren going.
Nathan's stories has to kept, forever, in GFC lore.

There is a hilarious podcast named The Dollop where they focus on that eccentric baseballer obsessed with fire trucks (Rube Waddell) in episode 12. Highly recommend.

 

[Generalissimo]

Everybody talks about Leo Barry (you star!) and 'the toepoke' gets all the glam from the 2009 Grand Final, but Harry Taylor's mark (7:25 on the vid) was MASSIVE.

I remember thinking at the time, "That's it. It's all over. We've won." the instant the ball stuck in his big hands. That was the moment.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

There is a hilarious podcast named The Dollop where they focus on that eccentric baseballer obsessed with fire trucks (Rube Waddell) in episode 12. Highly recommend.

When was this? Asking because Mick Molloy and Titus O'Rielly just did a huge deep dive in to the life of Rube. Wondering who copied who.

And Rube was definately an original.

 

[bruce lindner]

When was this? Asking because Mick Molloy and Titus O'Rielly just did a huge deep dive in to the life of Rube. Wondering who copied who.

And Rube was definately an original.

The Dollop ep was released in 2014