Reluctant Geelong forward Nathan Ablett's return to football will be delayed at least another week as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.

It had been hoped the 22-year-old would play with the Cats' VFL side against Port Melbourne at Skilled Stadium on Sunday.

That would have been his first match in a Geelong jumper since last year's AFL premiership win.

But the Cats said an ankle injury sustained playing basketball about three weeks ago was taking longer than expected to heal.

It was uncertain whether he would be ready to return the following Saturday, against the Northern Bullants in Preston, the club said.

Ablett resumed training with the VFL side in early July after putting his career on hold at the start of the year, when he told the club he had lost his passion for the game.

He is yet to decide whether to make an AFL comeback in 2009.

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