Hawthorn premiership player Geoff Ablett has revealed he has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, describing the diagnosis as confronting as his health rapidly declines.
Ablett, 70, said he was formally diagnosed just before Christmas Eve last year after spending much of the past 12 months in and out of hospital undergoing extensive testing as doctors searched for an explanation for his deteriorating condition.
‘There are three kinds of MND – and Neale Daniher’s is slower whereas mine – I have been given two to five years, but could have already had MND for over a year,’ Ablett told News Corp.
‘It was diagnosed on Christmas Eve last year but looking back I had a weakness in my left leg in August, 2024.’
The dual Hawthorn premiership player said his condition has worsened significantly in recent months, leaving him unable to walk even with assistance and now reliant on a wheelchair.
‘It has become a lot worse in the last couple of months given I used to be able to walk with a frame but now I can’t because my balance has gone,’ he said.
Former Hawthorn champion Geoff Ablett was diagnosed with MND just before Christmas
Ablett has already lost the ability to walk and relies on a wheelchair for mobility because of the disease
‘It’s the first time I’ve been in hospital when I know I am not getting better. And that’s confronting.’
Ablett played 202 games for Hawthorn between 1973 and 1982, winning premierships in 1976 and 1978 and earning a reputation as one of the fastest players of his era. He later played with Richmond and St Kilda before returning to Gippsland after his AFL career.
He said the reality of his diagnosis has forced him to begin planning for the future, including difficult conversations about end-of-life decisions.
‘I am putting things in place regarding my quality of life,’ Ablett said.
‘I recently met with a psychologist and explained if I can’t use my arms and legs, and my lungs have packed it in, then I don’t want to be here.
‘I have the form and just need to get the paperwork done for assisted dying.’
Ablett also spoke emotionally about the impact of MND on both patients and families, praising Neale Daniher for his long-running FightMND campaign and the tangible difference it has made within the health system.
Doctors have given Ablett two to five years to live, but he may have already had the condition for up to 12 months
‘A lot of the equipment is here because of funding from what Neale Daniher has done,’ Ablett said.
‘If I buzz for a nurse at night, often two come straight away.’
‘I have been inspired by his journey and want to thank him for what he has done for fellow MND sufferers. It’s a horrible disease and Neale Daniher has helped so much in the fight against it.’
Ablett said the emotional toll of his illness has been compounded by personal loss, including the death of his wife Joy from breast cancer in 2021, and the stress of a lengthy IBAC investigation that ultimately ended without charges.
‘I think so, even if I can’t prove it,’ Ablett said when asked if the stress had contributed to his health decline.
‘My wife was in remission, then the cancer returned and she died on June 10, 2021.’
Despite his diagnosis, Ablett reflected proudly on his football career, including his role in Hawthorn’s premiership sides and his performances in finals, while also recalling the speed that earned him the nickname ‘Racehorse’.
‘Put it this way, no-one ever ran away from me bouncing the ball,’ he said.
‘When they saw me coming they would say ‘f*** it, I’d better kick it’.’
Ablett is the older brother of Kevin and Gary Ablett and said family support has been critical as he confronts the reality of living with an incurable disease.
‘It’s a horrible disease,’ he said.
‘But I’m grateful for the care, the support, and for what Neale has done to make things better for people like me.’
