Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade is confident captain Gary Ablett will be fit for round one, despite not playing any practice matches during the pre-season.
Ablett will not line up for the Suns in their final NAB Challenge this weekend, as he recovers from a tendon injury in the ball of his foot.
But Eade said two-time Brownlow Medalist is a certainty to line up in the opening match of 2016 against the Bombers, with the 31-year-old's sesamoid bone in his foot "just a bit inflamed".
โHe technically could play, but we just feel that he needs another week of training at least, football wise. Weโll err on the side of caution,โ Eade said on SEN Radio on Tuesday morning.
โThereโs certainly some players who have gone into Round 1 not having played (any pre-season matches). Joel Selwood will probably do that this year and Garyโs done it I think four or five times in his career,โ Eade added.
โItโs not a big concern really to be honest.
โI donโt think itโs going to worry him too much.โ
Ablett enjoyed a 34 possession, four goal, best on ground performance in round one in 2013, despite not playing any pre-season games.
Meanwhile, Eade said that midfielder Dion Prestia will play this weekend against Adelaide for his first pre-season hit-out, while Jaeger O'Meara could return to NEAFL football in round three or four and David Swallow will miss the first half of the season.
