MARK THOMPSON DEPARTURE FROM GEELONG BROUGHT UP AGAIN
Ben Jensen 9 April 2012

By Ben Jensen twitter.com/thecattery FORMER Geelong coach Mark Thompson left after season 2010 along with Gary Ablett, that we all know; the Cats went on to win the 2011 Premiership which pretty much healed those wounds for most down at Geelong. Damian Barrett of AFL.com.au fame wrote a piece earlier in the week that slipped under our radar until this evening. It mostly rehashes old allegations but has some newies, in particular that Ablett and ubiquitous partner Lauren Phillips approach Thompson at the club best and fairest in an attempt to clear the air but were rebuffed, and "One teammate of Ablett's nearly intervened."

Titillating stuff though you wonder what the point of it all is; all parties have now moved on, nothing can change what happened. Maybe little Gary would have stayed, maybe he wouldn't have; I have my doubts, the money and chance to get away were probably tempting enough than getting away from Thompson specifically. What we do hope is that in maybe five or six years Ablett might move back to Geelong for the final year or two of his career. Wishful thinking maybe but stranger things have happened.

Original story: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/132145/default.aspx