He's the `son of God' but the second coming of Gary Ablett is taking longer than expected for Gold Coast.
The two-time Brownlow Medallist will go into this year's AFL season having not played a second of competitive match action since injuring his shoulder against Collingwood in July last year.
As expected, Ablett wasn't named for the Suns' final pre-season fixture against Brisbane on Friday, meaning he and fellow midfield star Jaeger O'Meara will come into the season proper with zero game time under their belts.
Ablett is still wearing a distinctive flouro cap during training sessions to avoid full contact and even teammate Zac Smith isn't certain whether the Suns skipper will line-up against Melbourne at the MCG on April 4.
"To be honest, I am 100 per cent not sure at this stage," Smith said.
"He's training really well. He's as fit as he's ever been. He's doing the things he needs to do to get right so I hope he is, that's for sure."
Suns coach Rodney Eade told Melbourne radio station SEN he remains confident Ablett will be fit for the season opener.
"The medical staff feel he just needs more strength in a couple of range of movements, and also do those movements under match conditions," Eade said.
"We've still got two and a half weeks so we're reasonably hopeful that he will be able to play in round one."
Smith says a lack of game time shouldn't be a hindrance to Ablett or young gun O'Meara, who is recovering from off-season surgery where he had both kneecaps shaved to overcome the severe tendinitis which hampered his 2014 campaign.
"They've been training fully for quite a few weeks now and I suppose it does make a little bit of difference because a game is a bit more intense but come day I think they'll be their usual selves," he said.
"Stand up as leaders as usual and we'll go on."
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