After the 2009 season, and indeed at many points during the season, speculation continued to mount that Ablett would leave Geelong at the end of 2010 and join the AFL's newest team, . Despite the rumours, Ablett continued his own individual success, recording career-high totals in disposals (756), marks (106) and goals (44). Ablett would serve as the runner-up for several awards at the end of the home-and-away season, including the Carji Greeves Medal and Brownlow Medal. On 29 September, it was announced that Ablett would be joining Gold Coast in what was understood to be a multimillion-dollar deal.