AFL great Gary Ablett jr is set to represent Ovens and Murray Football League side Myrtleford in 2024 in a one-off game for the Victorian local club.
Ablett has plied his trade at the grassroots level on multiple occasions since calling time on his career in 2020 after 357 games with Geelong and Gold Coast.
The two-time Brownlow Medal winner has played in Cairns and the Northern Territory since hanging up the boots, while he also featured for Victorian clubs Creswick and Drouin this year.
Playing with the latter, Ablett followed in the footsteps of his father and fellow legend of the game, Gary snr, who won a premiership with Drouin in 1978 prior to his illustrious 1031-goal professional career.
The 'Little Master' will walk a similar line when he links up with Myrtleford next year, with his father also playing a year with Saints in the 1980s, while his great uncle is an icon of the club.
The signing of Ablett has all but been signed off, according to The Border Mail, with the final details of a sole appearance set to be finalised ahead of the 2024 OMFNL season.
Myrtleford endured a difficult season this year, managing one win from their 16 games in 2023 to finish last on the ladder.
Ablett managed to double Creswick's win count midway through this yer with his appearance for the Central Highland Football League outfit, while his 25 disposals and two goals for Drouin weren't enough to help the struggling Hawks conjure a win.
The 39-year-old has an unmatched trophy cabinet following his 19-year AFL career, having claimed a pair of premierships, two Brownlow Medals, five AFLPA MVP Awards, three AFLCA Champion Player of the Year titles, eight All-Australian selections and a total of six best and fairest awards.
