No player has won the Brownlow after missing more than four weeks in that season.

The Gold Coast captain suffered the injury to his left shoulder in Saturday's big win over Collingwood at Metricon Stadium.

In one of the biggest moments of the season, Ablett's tagger Brent Macaffer caught him with a fierce tackle during the third quarter.

The shoulder popped out when the Suns star hit the ground.

Ablett will have scans on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.

Ablett won his second Brownlow last season after first saluting in 2009 when he was at Geelong.

Before the injury, Ablett was an odds-on favourite to win his third Brownlow.

If he did so, he would become just the fifth player in the history of the game to win a third Brownlow Medal, but no one has won 'Charlie' after missing more than four games in that season.    

He comfortably led the betting at $1.60, with Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury next at $7.00.

Leading medal hopes in Ablett's absence would be Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, Sydney Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy and Geelong star Joel Selwood.

Ablett's injury also opens up a scenario where Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe could poll the most votes on Brownlow night but not take home the medal after a two-week ban for rough conduct made him ineligible.  

Fyfe was suspended after he chose to bump Gold Coast midfielder Michael Rischitelli in round two resulting in an accidental head clash.