Geelong appear to be bracing for the likelihood that Gary Ablett is leaving, with coach Mark Thompson saying he suspects the AFL superstar has already decided his future.

Thompson, who last week used the club's season launch to publicly urge Ablett to stay with the Cats rather than head to the incoming Gold Coast franchise, said the time for persuasion might have passed.

"Gary probably already knows what he's going to do, so we've just got to wait for him to tell us which way he's going to go," Thompson said on Tuesday.

The two-time premiership coach refused to say whether he thought the Brownlow Medallist was leaving, or how he would treat Ablett this season if he learned the gun midfielder was headed north in 2011.

"I won't speculate on something that I don't know's happened until it actually happens," he said.

"When it does happen we'll certainly have some answers, if it does."

But the fact that Thompson suspects Ablett has reached a decision suggests he fears the 25-year-old is set to leave, given if he had decided to stay, he would presumably have informed the club.

Gold Coast are believed to be prepared to pay Ablett $1.5 million per season over five years, a deal the Cats can not come close to matching, given their salary cap restraints.

There is also a family lure, with Ablett's brother and former Geelong premiership teammate Nathan already tied to Gold Coast, while their father Gary Sr spends much of his time in the region.

Thompson last week told Ablett at the club's season launch he would have more chance of adding to his two premierships at the Cats than "at the other mob that are offering all that money".

Ablett's manager Liam Pickering said the three-time AFL MVP would not be rushed into an announcement.

"Gary won't be pushed into making a decision, because we're talking about a career decision, this will be his last big contract, it will be probably five years, whether it's Geelong, or whether it's elsewhere," Pickering told Fox Sports News.

"Gary's a pretty thorough thinker, he'll think his way through where it's at ... in the end it's Gazza's decision."

Pickering said he was speaking to Geelong officials weekly, but they had not placed any pressure on Ablett and a decision might not come until season's end.

"There will be a lot of speculation about it. He's the best player in the AFL so (speculation will continue) until he actually does make a decision one way or the other," Pickering said.

"It may be before the end of the year, it may be after the season, I'm not really sure."

Thompson said the Cats would not let the situation distract them ahead of their opening-round clash with Essendon at the MCG on Friday night.

Geelong will be missing Travis Varcoe and Max Rooke through injury and another forward Mathew Stokes through a club-imposed suspension.

But Joel Corey is expected to return from a pre-season knee injury and Thompson also said there was likely to be a player making their AFL debut, although he would not say who.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP