Gold Coast Suns football manager Marcus Ashcroft has challenged captain Gary Ablett to play through the pain of his injured knee.

Scans on Monday cleared the 2009 Brownlow Medallist of any structural damage to his right knee after Ablett limped off during the first half of Saturday night's round-16 clash with Sydney at Metricon Stadium.

Ablett said he hoped to play for the AFL's bottom side in Saturday's game against Richmond in Cairns.

"Scans are good! Just showed some swelling ... nothing serious!," the four-time All-Australian posted on Twitter.

Aschroft told a press conference on the Gold Coast that the scans were a huge relief.

"He was relieved as well. I think on Saturday night he was a bit worried, as we all were," Ashcroft said.

"But when there's no structural damage, you know he can actually go out there and train and play and just put up with pain, so we'll see how he gets through on Wednesday.

"If he gets through Wednesday's training then I think he'll be okay for the weekend."

Ashcroft admitted the Suns were concerned after Saturday night's 70-point loss that Ablett might have suffered structural damage.

"The scans indicated some bruising on his knee, no structural damage, so from that point of view we're a bit more relieved," he said.

Ablett suffered the injury in the first quarter of the match.

The star onballer returned to the field in the second term before reluctantly going off again.

"There's obviously something there bruising-wise, so he needs to be comfortable training on Wednesday and pull up okay on Thursday before we know for sure," Ashcroft said.

He added the swelling on Ablett's knee had eased significantly.

"On Saturday night he was in discomfort but today he feels a lot better," Ashcroft said, adding the incident happened in a marking contest.

"He wasn't sure if he got a knock or he landed awkwardly," Ashcroft said.

Ablett's stunning form as a player and his thorough approach to the key leadership role have caused plenty of critics to eat humble pie this season.

The 27-year-old left Geelong last summer for a massive salary at the Suns, who have won only two of their first 14 games.

Ablett's average of 28.5 possessions per game puts him in the top five in the league despite the huge drop in class alongside him compared to Geelong's star-studded midfield.

Carlton captain Chris Judd is on course for a third Brownlow Medal according to bookmakers, while Ablett has eased to eighth favourite after being fifth in the betting last week.

Centrebet on Monday had Judd at $3.50 with Ablett at $16.00, while TABSportsbet listed Judd at 3.75 and Ablett at $17.00.

Only twice in VFL/AFL history has a player from the bottom side won the Brownlow Medal and it hasn't happened since 1949.

"Gary has carried the side fairly well this year with his leadership and the way he has played," Ashcroft said in something of an understatement.

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