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AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking says Gary Ablett and Geelong handled the booing from Hawthorn fans professionally.

AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking has praised Gary Ablett and Geelong for how they handled the booing of the Cats star by Hawthorn fans.

Hocking was also adamant that the booing of Ablett is different to the constant booing of Sydney star Adam Goodes towards the end of his career.

Ablett starred in Geelong's win at the MCG, with Hawks fans booing him every time he had the ball.

"For what it's worth, I thought Gary handled it really well. He played exceptionally well," Hocking said.

"Post-match, the way he and the club handled it was very professional.

"You certainly wouldn't want it (to continue) ... it comes back to Gary and the way he's handled it."

Hocking, the former Geelong football operations manager, noted Ablett was also booed constantly during their 2008 grand final loss to the Hawks.

The booing was a major talking point out of the Cats' big win.

It drew immediate parallels to the booing of Goodes, who holds the AFL record for the most games by an indigenous player, in the last few years of his storied career.

"I would not tie the Adam Goodes stuff into the Ablett stuff - it's a very different situation," Hocking said.

While Hocking said he has great faith in the AFL's fans, he acknowledged that was not the case with how Goodes bowed out of the game.

"I reckon they get it right, most times," Hocking said.

The AFL football boss added he was unsure whether the booing is tied to Ablett's role last week in the Israel Folau controversy.

Ablett liked and then unliked the social media post that has Folau taking Rugby Australia to a code of conduct hearing over his contract termination.

Ablett, who is deeply religious, posted a message over the Easter weekend and said he meant no offence by the initial "like".