GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 09: Gary Ablett of the Suns leaves the field injured during the round 16 AFL match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium on July 9, 2016 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Fox Footy's David King says the Gold Coast Suns should trade captain Gary Ablett for the benefit of the club going forward.

Ablett, 32, suffered yet another season ending injury on the weekend, marking a horrid three years for the two-time Brownlow Medalist.

King believes that the Suns must be prepared to loose Ablett in order to keep the lieks of young guns Jarger O'Meara and Dion Prestia, who are the future of the club.

“(Ablett) has been there for six years. He’s played 61 of 66 (games) in his first three (years). He’s only going to end up playing 35 of his next 66,” King said on Fox Footy on Monday night.

“It’s a poor return. At 32 years of age, what would happen if they put him up for trade, to move him to another club and subsidise the wage?

“Let’s just say it is Geelong for a moment. What if they say ‘he’s on $1 million a year — what if we subsidise half a million?’ and he goes to Geelong for a second-round or a third-round pick just to get the deal done to basically give them the flexibility of another $500,000 in their cap to satisfy both O’Meara and Prestia and keep them at the club.

“They are 10 or 12-year players. They’re going to be there long-term. I’m worried that if they keep an Ablett and it rolls on ... they’re not going to win a premiership in 2017 or ‘18.

“I’m not sure that as the face of the club, it’s worth that investment right now.”

After seemingly a certainty to win his third Brownlow Medal in 2014, Ablett suffered a shoulder injury in Round 16, which required a major reconstruction.

After missing the majority of the first half of the season, he then managed only six games in 2015 after he suffering a medial ligament injury in Round 17.

This season he played 14 of the opening 15 games, before succumbing to another shoulder injury, ruling him our for the rest of the season.

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