Geoff Ablett, the blisteringly fast Hawthorn premiership wingman who went to Richmond, via the Supreme Court, for 16 games across 1983 and 1984, has died. He was 71.

Ablett died April 29^th 2026 from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), his family announced. He had first noticed weakness in his left leg in August 2024, and received a diagnosis on Christmas Eve 2025.

Dubbed ‘Racehorse’, he credited his speed to his mother Colleen, who was the Gippsland 100-yards champion. Ablett himself won four Grand Final Half-Time Sprints from 1979-1981 and 1985.

“Put it this way, no-one ever ran away from me bouncing the ball,” he told The Australian in 2026.

“When they saw me coming, they would say, 'f--- it, I’d better kick it'."

Ablett came, of course, from the famous football family – brother of Geelong star Gary, and Kevin (Hawthorn, Richmond, Geelong), nephew of Len (1943 Richmond premiership), uncle of Gary Jnr, and brother-in-law of Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck.

Disgruntled with Hawthorn at the end of 1982, he stood out of football and trained with country and suburban teams, like Mulgrave, to maintain fitness until a transfer to Tigerland was approved.

But it wasn’t an easy path. Hawthorn refused to clear him with one year remaining on his contract, as the VFL Appeals Board ruled they did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter (even after chairman John Winneke, an ex-Hawks player, stood aside to avoid possible conflict). Supreme Court action from the Hawks failed, before Richmond issued their own Supreme Court writ for restraint of trade.

Hawthorn then sought an injunction to stop Richmond selecting Ablett in the Reserves match v Footscray on April 23^rd 1983.

But an early morning meeting on gameday at VFL House sorted everything out – Hawthorn cleared Ablett, the VFL issued him with a permit, and Richmond played him two hours later.

Above: Bill Meaklim's handwritten stats showing Ablett coming to Tigerland during the 1983 season. Red ticks indicate Reserves, Black seniors.

Two weeks later he acquitted himself well in the Tigers' Sterling Cup match against St Kilda on May 3rd, 1983.

Finally, in Round 7, 1983, 28-year-old Ablett officially debuted for Richmond against Essendon, wearing Geoff Raines’ No.4. In the opening minutes of the game, he courageously marked in the forward line, but was bumped heavily by Ron Andrews. Ablett received a 15-metre penalty and his shot for goal was a behind. However, the umpire awarded another penalty and he subsequently goaled with his first kick for the club. Ablett finished the game with three goals and gathered 12 disposals.

The eldest of the three League football brothers, Geoffrey Norman Ablett was born in Drouin on March 13, 1955.

He starred on the wing in two Hawthorn premierships - 1976 and 1978 – ending with 202 games, 135 goals, and a life membership.

In 1985 Ablett was caught up in Richmond’s administration merry-go-round, with the new hierarchy suggesting he, and his brother Kevin, had ‘attitudinal problems’. So, he was shipped off to St Kilda where he played 11 games, then laced up the boots for Lang Lang from 1986-1988, before coaching Moe from 1989-1991.

A former mayor of the City of Casey, he unsuccessfully ran as the Liberal candidate for Cranbourne, and was investigated by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), but not charged.

In 2009 his son Ryan, who won a Best and Fairest at Port Melbourne and was rookie listed at Hawthorn, died, aged 27. His wife Joy died of breast cancer in 2021.

The Richmond Football Club send their condolences to his family.
Survivors include his sisters Janice and Fay, daughter Cassandra, and son Jake.
A private family service was held at Cranbourne Cemetery.