UPDATE: GARY Ablett has to accept his reconstructed shoulder will never be pain-free, according to sports medicine expert Dr Rohan White.

Gold Coast’s young stars are becoming concerned over the extended absence of their captain, whose return from a shoulder injury could still be another month away.

Speaking on Triple M, Dr White warned the brilliant midfielder his shoulder joint will be sore and restricted for the rest of his career.

“After a shoulder reconstruction, no one is 100 per cent. You do have limitations. What Gary has to understand is that he’s not going to be the same as he was prior to July last year,” Dr White said.

“Once he gets over that psychological hurdle maybe he will be out on the field sooner than we anticipate.

“He is going to have restricted movement. It’s going to smart on those particular tackles that really stretch the ligaments and the capsule. And it will not be as it was a year ago.”

The Suns take on Sydney and Fremantle in the next two weeks but Ablett’s return could be further delayed until Gold Coast meets Carlton after the bye.

Suns coach Rodney Eade admitted over the weekend that Ablett’s teammates had approached the Brownlow medallist for clarity.

Ablett’s comeback was aborted after Round 2 and he has taken longer than expected to overcome last year’s shoulder reconstruction.

Sources told the Herald Sun the club’s younger players have started to push for answers, with some of the view Ablett should be playing — even if he’s not quite 100 per cent — to help combat the Suns’ massive injury list.

The superstar onballer is refusing to take painkilling injections to manage the first major injury of his career and has only used anti-inflammatories sparingly.

The best player in the competition when fit, there are suggestions Ablett is sweating on a perfect recovery and doesn’t want to play at a level below the lofty one he’s set in the past.

But Gold Coast football manager Marcus Ashcroft is adamant Ablett isn’t ready and says he risks aggravating the joint again if he plays too soon.

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury last month revealed to the Herald Sun that he and Ablett underwent similar operations and that the pair had discussed whether they were “too safe” with the start of their recovery periods. The Magpie star has gone on to play every game this season.

Ablett’s prolonged absence prompted Matthew Lloyd to ask on Channel 9: “Is the tail still wagging the dog there at the Gold Coast?”

Nathan Brown said: “Reading between the lines, what everybody is talking about but not really saying is, he’s right to go but he doesn’t want to play. Is that right?”

media_camera Gary Ablett has resumed contact training.

Eade, speaking before Saturday’s loss to Hawthorn in Launceston, said players had started approaching Ablett.

“I’ve spoken to him individually and certainly some players, as teammates, have spoken to him and are really keen to get him back because they rate him so highly ... but rate him as a leader and obviously love his presence on the field,” Eade told 3AW.

“He’s doing very well at training and his voice is fantastic, but it’s nothing like being on the ground. I would think, hopefully at worst, it (Ablett’s return) will be the game after the bye.”

Ablett last week resumed contact training and got through fine, according to Ashcroft.

“It’s frustrating for everyone because we keep saying 2-4 weeks, but we really don’t know any different because we have to assess him each week,” he told the Herald Sun.

“The doctors and Gaz are on the same page. I guess everyone can make the assumption (that Ablett could play now), but that’s not the case.

“We want to make sure that when he comes back he plays the rest of the year and doesn’t come back and it gets irritated again and he misses a game. That’s the last thing we want.”

The Suns are languishing in 17th spot at 1-8 and face daunting assignments against flag contenders Sydney and Fremantle before their bye in Round 12.