The AFL's new kid on the block, Gold Coast Football Club, has confirmed it has signed former Geelong premiership player Nathan Ablett.
Ablett, who turned his back on the game after the Cats' drought breaking premiership in 2007, met with Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna this week.
He has agreed to train with the club and play with the Gold Coast in the VFL competition next year.
“It is exciting because it is going to be such a young group and hopefully from playing three years of AFL I can give a bit of experience to the boys of what to do and what not to do,” Ablett said.
“My aim is to play AFL again so hopefully I can use this as a bit of a stepping stone and play some good footy as well as getting myself fit.”
Gold Coast will enter the AFL in 2011.
McKenna said Ablett had convinced him and new GCFC assistant coach Ken Hinkley that he was ready.
“I have had two or three chats and he has said all the right things. He has put his hand up so he has 12 months to prove himself," McKenna said.
"He has already been involved at an elite level in AFL football and knows what it takes to reach the top. We are more than happy to give him the opportunity.”
The signing is a major coup for Gold Coast, which has made no secret of its desire to sign Nathan's brother and reigning Brownlow medallist, Gary Jnr.
Gary Ablett is out of contract at the end of 2010 and could earn as much as $1.4 million a season if he chose to leave Geelong.
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