Pubdate: Wed, 23 Feb 2000
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: News Limited 2000
Contact:  http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
Author: Mark Buttler And Mark Dunn

ABLETT GOES INTO RETREAT

Football legend Gary Ablett was last night bunkered down in a country
hideaway in the aftermath of the Alisha Horan drug death tragedy. The
Herald Sun understands Mark Yeates, a former teammate of the Geelong
champion, whisked Ablett out of Melbourne after Ablett had found Ms
Horan unconscious at a plush city hotel.

Traces of amphetamines and another drug containing morphine have since
been detected in Ms Horan's body.

Friends say Ablett, 38, is "torn up" by the death of Ms Horan, a
20-year-old woman he had known for a long time and was seen with
regularly in recent weeks.

Yeates, one of Ablett's closest friends, is believed to have taken his
mate to a secret rural location where he is among relatives.

Yeates refused to comment when contacted by the Herald Sun
yesterday.

But it is known he is taking care of Ablett's house during his exile
from Geelong.

Ablett's four children are believed to be staying with their mother,
Sue, on the Bellarine Peninsula. Another former teammate, Brownlow
medallist Paul Couch, said apparent turmoil in Ablett's private life
stretched further back than most people knew.

He said the goalkicking machine had struggled to cope since separating
from Sue in the early 1990s.

"He was out on his own. The stable background was gone. He was a very
lonely person," Couch said.

Lenny Gibson, a close friend of the former footballer for 10 years,
said yesterday Ablett was "torn up" by the death of Ms Horan.

Ablett had been working with Mr Gibson as a tiler's laborer for the
past four months.

Mr Gibson said Ms Horan's death and the coverage had a heavy impact on
the champion forward.

He said Ablett had worked as a laborer for no pay because he wanted to
help get the Gibson tiling business off the ground and it was a way of
keeping fit.

"Gazza helped me out and he's been a good mate for
years.

"But I've never heard of Gary being involved in any
drugs.

"I've been as shocked as anyone by this and I know Gary is just
distraught."

Ablett's manager, Michael Baker, spoke with an emotional Ablett on
Monday night for 45 minutes.

"This has just knocked him. He is going through a very hard time at
the moment."

Sam Newman, another high-profile former Cat, said he knew little about
Ablett's personal life and it was too early to speculate on what took
place at the Park Hyatt Hotel.

"If Gary Ablett chooses not to clarify his position, I suppose he has
to wear the fact that people, rightly or wrongly, will jump to
conclusions," Newman said.

Ms Horan's funeral will be held at St Bernard's Church in Belmont at
1pm today.
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