GOLD Coast expects superstar Gary Ablett to overcome a hamstring injury and line up against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night in what could be the midfielder's final game for the Suns.
The 33-year-old has played three matches since the start of July and will weigh up his future come season's end.
The dual Brownlow medallist has a year to run on his contract but has expressed interest in returning to Geelong.
Caretaker coach Dean Solomon told Melbourne radio station SEN on Wednesday morning he expected Ablett to return.
"Gaz has been doing everything he possibly can to get up for this weekend. He said that to me two weeks ago, that he was a real chance to get up for the Port Adelaide game," Solomon said.
"As we speak right now, he will be named and he'll be training tomorrow night. If he gets through that and pulls up fine, he'll be playing."
Solomon praised the former captain for the way he had conducted himself.
"I could not ask any more from Gary Ablett. He took a master class for our first-to-fourth-year players last Tuesday, and those guys walked out saying, 'Geez, that's one of the best presentations I've ever been involved in'," Ablett said.
"It was just amazing. People question is he invested – he is absolutely invested. He is working his bum off to get himself right to play this Saturday night."
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans wants Solomon to stay at the club next year but the former Essendon hard man did not want to go into specifics on his own future.
In his short time in charge, Solomon has emphasised the contested nature of the game and tried to create an "elite environment".
"I'm pretty anal when it comes to standards. Even team meetings, making sure you have the right uniform. Make sure there's no tape around, there's no food left out, just all that sort of stuff, make sure we're professional in everything we're doing," Solomon said.
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