1983 Gary was playing for Myrtleford in the Ovens & Murray league. Football supporters with scant knowledge of or interest in the game in country competitions can nevertheless tell you that, when the great Gary Ablett senior spent a sabbatical year away from the VFL in 1983, he played for Myrtleford in the Ovens and Murray Football League. Ablett, a country boy from Drouin, had played for Hawthorn in 1982, but found himself unable to adjust to city life. He joined Myrtleford quite by chance because, after calling on a relative who lived in the town, he felt relaxed and at home. The relative in question was Len Ablett, who had played 70 VFL games for Richmond back in the 1930s and ‘40s, and had gone on to serve the Myrtleford Football Club as player, coach and president. Ablett now steered the soon to be nineteen year old Gary in the direction of the local team, which was in the midst of an ambitious recruiting drive. The leasing of Gary Ablett for a season must have seemed like the icing on the cake to coach Greg Nicholls, whose own VFL experience amounted to 1 game with Geelong in 1979. Ablett’s impact on Myrtleford was considerable, but not quite enough to transform the side into premiership material. Winning premierships had never been easy for the Saints, who lacked the catchment area and resources of the OMFL’s bigger clubs like Albury, Wodonga and Wangaratta Rovers.[1] In 1983 they finished third, but had they been able to retain the services of a rapidly improving Ablett, who knows what they might have achieved? The 1984 season saw Ablett back in the VFL, however, this time with Geelong. The Cats had been tipped off about Ablett by none other than Greg Nicholls, their former player, and then had prevailed in a clearance dispute with Hawthorn, which was keen to give the youngster another chance.

It’s a real testament to the late Tom Hafey as a coach when he recognised those two kids running around that pre season, both were cut by other clubs and played 1983 in the country. Williams was rejected by Carlton but to be fair they were a strong side at the time with a good depth of smalls (the Mosquito fleet). In Ablett’s case at Hawthorn he couldn’t handle all the temptations of City life and Allan Jeans lost patience with him. Hawthorn’s 1982 Reserves premiership had Dermott Brereton @ CHF and Ablett next to him on a flank.

Unfortunate close loss to Essendon in the QF and then were just outplayed by Hawthorn in the semi

@@johnkennedy5734 We lost to Hawthorn in the Qualifying final by 4 points. Essendon were on a high from winning the Elimination final and ran over us in the 1st Semi to win by 23 points putting us out in straight sets. Oh well.

Made it look pretty easy on his left. Incredible natural talent.

Blight and Daicos were also brilliant on their opposite side. Allen Jakovich was sensational on his left but only had a brief career, 81 games.

@@jonburrows9816 Daicos had incredible foot-skills...D Jarman too..

​@hanajinks1044 Forgot about D. Jarman. He definitely had silky skills and dangerous around goals. Also a big occasion player.

@@jonburrows9816 Basically won 97 off his own boot...Robbie Flower was great on both sides too, even if not really a goal-kicker.

Pleasure mate.