Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna admits the presence of Nathan Ablett is unlikely to have much impact on luring his brother Gary to the expansion club for the 2011 AFL season.

Nathan Ablett has a season to prove he's ready for an AFL return when the new club enters the league in 2011, as he will play for match payments when the Gold Coast play in the VFL in 2010.

Nathan, 23, walked out on Geelong after the 2007 premiership win and moved to the Gold Coast to pursue a career in the building industry, but is now keen to resurrect his 32-game career.

McKenna is excited at the prospect of having Nathan as a spearhead in his young team, but conceded they remained a longshot to get Gary, the 2009 Brownlow medallist.

"I do know the brothers do get on and they do talk, like most families do, and I'm sure they will talk," McKenna said of Gary Ablett, who is out of contract at the end of 2010.

"Is that going to help Gary make his mind up?

"Probably in a scheme of 100 maybe one or two points it might rate.

"Ultimately it's a decision Gary will make."

Gary Ablett is out of contract after the 2010 season and told Network Ten he and the Cats had begun negotiating a new deal.

"I love playing down there and hopefully we can work out a deal," he said.

Geelong remain confident Gary, 25, will re-sign despite the potential earnings of $1.4 million a season with the Gold Coast.

While Nathan Ablett wants to rekindle his career with the Gold Coast - where he can again work with assistant coach Ken Hinkley, a former coach at Geelong - one of the new club's challenges remains signing a marquee player.

Potential targets Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) and Kurt Tippett (Adelaide) all ruled out a switch by signing new contracts in 2009.

McKenna said the Gold Coast had "set the bar high" on their recruiting wishlist, but were encouraged by the movement in this year's trade period, where 23 players switched clubs.

"If you look at this year's movements, there were a few more high-end players move, like Shaun Burgoyne (from Port Adelaide to Hawthorn)," he said.

"(Recruiting manager) Scott (Clayton) is more than confident we can put together a young and developing list for 2011 that will include uncontracted players as well."

Nathan Ablett has not been promised a start in the Gold Coast's entry into the AFL, as he has signed a one-year deal and must prove his worth next year.

He is currently recovering from an ankle injury but was looking forward to the challenge of playing at the new club.

"My aim is to play AFL again so hopefully I can use this as a bit of a stepping stone and play some good footy as well as getting myself fit," he said.

McKenna said Ablett had "grown up" since leaving Geelong and had missed playing at an elite level.

"Since moving away from Geelong and having watched what his brother and teammates did and what Geelong have done, he's realised `Maybe I did take that premiership for granted and maybe I've got more things I want to succeed at in my AFL career'," he said.