Former Geelong premiership forward Nathan Ablett has five more VFL matches to show he's worthy of a Gold Coast AFL contract.

GCFC coach Guy McKenna said Ablett, 24, had shown a renewed interest in the game and seemed intent on resurrecting his AFL career after returning from a trip to Geelong where he sorted out some personal issues.

Ablett will start at full-forward against Sandringham at Labrador on Saturday, needing to keep up his high work rate at training and in matches for the remainder of the season to be considered for the club's inaugural 2011 AFL roster.

"You wouldn't say it's been a normal season for Nathan," McKenna told AAP.

"Even though he's living up here, his family comes up here, his father comes up here for bits and pieces of the time, he's like anyone else and can get homesick.

"He went back down to Melbourne and sorted out a few of his personal things which he wanted to do and came back the following week and trained the house down.

"It was really encouraging to see him train - the boys thought `this is the real Nathan Ablett'.

"He'll get his chance this week for us and prove to us why he is on our list.

"He'll be given every opportunity to prove his worth."

Ablett was 21 years-old when he walked away from a promising AFL career at the end of the 2007 campaign because of lack of passion for the game, having played 32 matches in three seasons and been a part of the 2007 Geelong premiership team.

However, his career stands at the crossroads and the last five VFL matches of 2010 may be his last chance to prove he has a burning desire to play again at the highest level.

McKenna said had Ablett not been a key position player, the GCFC may not have persevered with him.

"If he was a midfielder, like some of the boys we've already had to tell, their chances of playing for us are fairly slim," McKenna said.

"Nathan as you can see, as far as tall forwards there's Charlie Dixon, Rory Thompson and then name me another one - we dont have any.

"Is he going to be given more time to fit in to our structure? Of course he is.

"He's trained really and played well last weekend.

"I said to him `I don't care about 14 marks and six goals as a power forward, I am interested in seeing work rate and intensity'."

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