Geelong superstar Gary Ablett has returned to action in the AFL grand final against Richmond after an early injury scare.

The retiring champion – playing his 357th and final match – hurt his left shoulder in a tackle from Tigers captain Trent Cotchin during an explosive opening five minutes.

Ablett was helped off the Gabba ground by trainers, clearly in pain, and was taken to the change room for medical assessment.

A huge cheer went around the ground when he reappeared on the bench at the 19-minute mark and he came back on before quarter-time.

Moments before Ablett’s injury, Richmond defender Nick Vlastuin was knocked out by an accidental high elbow from Patrick Dangerfield.

The Cats star punched a contested ball and made high contact with Vlastuin in the same action.

Vlastuin lay motionless for several minutes before being taken off the ground on a stretcher.

In a rough and tough opening term, Geelong’s Brandon Parfitt had his thumb checked for injury and Richmond’s Nathan Broad was left groggy by a heavy collision and taken off the ground.