Gaz-o-meter
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Gary Ablett is back. But how successful was his return? Here's our verdict on the little master's comeback.
Quarter 1
Gary's first touch is a slight miskick out to the wing, but that gets some cobwebs out of the way. He tallies five possessions for the term. He appears to wince when he misses a tackle, which sends some shivers through the Suns contingent. It's nothing serious, though.
Gaz-o-meter: Low heat
Quarter 2
Ablett makes a tackle on Sam Wright early on as he begins to assert his dominance on the contest. It takes eight minutes to add to his five touches for the match but he picks his time well. His first touch is a hand off to Keegan Brooksby, followed by a diving handball on the half-forward line. Eighteen minutes in he earns a free kick and kicks his first for the game.
Gaz-o-meter: Lukewarm
Quarter 3
He's warming up now. Six minutes in, he sells the candy to a North Melbourne player, weaving around him on the wing and popping it up to Tom Nicholls and sets up a goal. Had that been his highlight, it would have been enough. This is a successful return.
Nice to have you back, Gaz. (Nice beard, too!) #AFLSunsNorth http://t.co/nocZLySlKr— AFL (@AFL)
July 4, 2015
Verdict: Mercury rising
Quarter 4
North decide to release their tag on the Little Master and it is not their best idea yet. Ablett racks up 14 touches for the half to complete a very solid return that sends him to the top possession getters on the ground. Two more goals for the quarter, 11 clearances and inside 50s. The biggest impact he has had cannot be measured though and that is the extra confidence his side gets when he is on the ground.
#Gaz http://t.co/6nM3xwU2vt— AFL (@AFL) July 4, 2015
Verdict: We are cooking with Gaz. We've got to give him room to move.
Full-time
If this is the base against which we measure Gary Ablett in his return, it will be a very solid measuring stick indeed. He grew in stature with each of his touches and worked his way into the game beautifully. When the game was in the balance, he lifted as he tends to and kicked one of the goals of the night.
