In October 2017, Ablett was traded back to Geelong. His 2018 preseason was impacted by injury followed by a significant injury in the Round 3 loss to West Coast. Upon his return, Ablett drew criticism from AFL media figures such as Wayne Carey, who believed that Ablett should not be played in the Cats' midfield. Following his return from injury, Ablett's form quickly improved, with a best on ground performance in the win over North Melbourne in Round 12 equalling Sam Mitchell's record of 121 games with 30 or more possessions.