GARY Ablett has secured his requested trade to Geelong as the Gold Coast Suns begin life after their inaugural captain.

Gold Coast received pick 19 and Geelong’s 2018 round two draft pick and gave up Ablett, pick 24 and their future round 4 pick to get the deal done.

Ablett’s 12-month endeavour to return home to Victoria for family reasons finally came to fruition in the eleventh hour of the AFL trade period, nearly a month after the star midfielder officially requested a trade back to the Cats.

One of the most hyped deals of this year’s trade period was also one of the most challenging as the Suns and Cats dared each other to blink first.

Gold Coast wanted a premium player for a man that won a Brownlow with them in 2013 and a fourth best and fairest title in 2017.

Geelong always wanted Ablett but played coy throughout the season, with their biggest challenge trying to find a player willing to go to Queensland while also accounting for the estimated $500,000 Gold Coast needed for their salary cap due to the midfielder’s front-ended contract.

Steven Motlop, Mitch Duncan, Nakia Cockatoo, Jake Kolodjashnij and most recently Darcy Lang were all names discussed but Gold Coast struggled to convince them to come.

Motlop toured the Suns facilities as part of a separate deal but chose to join Port Adelaide.

The death of Ablett’s sister Natasha last week gave an insight into some of the difficulties the family had been facing and why the Suns marquee player didn’t rule out retiring if he didn’t get to Geelong.

Gold Coast also secured Fremantle halfback/midfielder Lachie Weller in the final minutes of the trade period.

The Suns gave up pick two for Weller and pick 41 while Gold Coast also trade forward Brandon Matera to the Dockers for their 2018 third round pick.