Gary Ablett says he is looking forward to escaping the pressures of football and spending time with family before he makes a call on his AFL future.
The Gold Coast midfielder said that a decision would likely be reached within a month, although where he goes from here not is not entirely up to him.
The Suns at least gained an extra bargaining chip in the trade game on Saturday night when the former Geelong ace was crowned club champion, despite the 34-year-old only playing 14 games this season.
Having previously expressed his desire to return to his original club, or even retire, the 300-game star said his future would become more clear in the next few weeks.
Ablett has invested seven seasons in the Gold Coast without a finals berth, but wouldn't bite when asked if the temptation to remain with the Suns and find success was enough to keep him at the club.
"They're hypotheticals at this stage," he said.
"I haven't made a decision around my future; I've got a lot to weigh up and lot to think about and that will happen over the coming weeks.
"I'm looking forward to sitting down with family, getting away from the pressures of football and getting some answers on some questions I've got."
Ablett revealed he had been battling hamstring tendonitis and that the club had advised him to give up on hopes of returning in the last month of the season.
While he eventually did miss the last three games, he said reports he had clocked off missed the mark.
"I really wanted to get out there," he said.
"A lot of people wrote other things, but I can tell you that's not true ... I wanted to give myself every chance to play."
He says he is feeling good and not daunted by the prospect of playing on.
But, in thanking the club during his acceptance speech, Ablett hinted there was more at play than his bodily state.
"I've been in the game 16 years now and it is a very demanding sport," Ablett said.
"I just want to be clear - I love this football club ... it has been such a big part of my life.
"I think as you get older, I have some other things going on in my life that I need to start prioritising, so they are some of the things I need to start talking through."
Ablett (126 votes) edged David Swallow (106) and Jack Martin (104) in the count, voted on by the Suns' five-man match committee, to win his fourth Suns best and fairest and sixth overall.
Share
