Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna has sensationally accused Geelong of spreading vicious rumours about Gary Ablett in a bid to derail their recruitment of the AFL's Brownlow Medallist in 2010.
Still buzzing from Ablett's vow to remain at the AFL club this week, McKenna revealed on Friday that scuttlebutt had emerged about the two-time Cats premiership midfielder's so-called deficiencies as the Suns circled at Geelong with a lucrative offer.
Three years on, McKenna reckons he now knows the source.
"I am now convinced that was Geelong sending out the smoke signals, saying 'don't take this bloke because he is not going to be able to do this, this and this for you'," he said ahead of Ablett's 250th game, Gold Coast's Saturday night clash with Melbourne at Metricon Stadium.
"I smell a bit of smoke from down Geelong way.
"I don't think he had a real reason to leave other than the contract but since then he has done more than has been expected.
"He's gone above and beyond."
The Cats have responded by challenging McKenna to name the person or people at the club he believes generated such rumours, if he's convinced that's where they originated.
"If Guy thinks that's the case he should say who was spreading the rumours," a Cats spokesperson told AAP.
"Otherwise, what he's doing now is just spreading a rumour himself."
McKenna hinted that the Suns had been taken aback by the "rumours and innuendo" at the time that painted Ablett as aloof, selfish and a poor leader on and off the field.
For the record, Ablett was the first to admit he had questioned his move north in 2011.
But he has since enjoyed the Gold Coast so much he promised this week to stay on at the club when his contract expired at the end of 2015, breaking the hearts of Cats fans hoping for an Ablett return.
"You hear things initially that he's not going to do this, he's aloof, he's not going to give too much, he's going to play good footy but he's not going to show the way on or off the field," McKenna said.
"Well, that's not what I am seeing.
"The work he has done for the club in the community has been super, then there's these extras that come up and he rarely says no.
"He's just constantly giving. You always hear stories where he is stopping, getting out of his car and helping people he sees in trouble."
And McKenna said the propaganda campaign surrounding Ablett was not uncommon in AFL.
He said it explained West Coast forward Jack Darling's low selection at No.26 in the 2010 AFL draft.
McKenna admitted the club baulked after hearing stories of off-field indiscretions about Darling - a decision he clearly rued.
"It's like Jack Darling - (they heard rumours saying) 'don't pick him up'. He goes to pick 27 (sic) and he's not put a foot wrong on or off the field," he said.
