There seem to have been more retirements this year than any other year I can remember.

One of the common themes you hear with them all is how hard it is to tell the boys of your decision. The emotions are uncontrollable, tears begin to flow, and although you try to talk words just don’t come out. For myself it took me a couple of minutes to gather my thoughts.

This is how I told my teammates that my time was almost up…

It was great being out at training today, with the sun shining, the skills as sharp as ever and the smell of finals in the air. That’s why I play football to feel that feeling and for me it will be the last time I will be experiencing it as a player.

2007 has been a frustrating year. I've been unable to shake an ankle injury that has lingered since pre-season, and have had very little input to our success on the field. But although playing wise has not been ideal, from a personal development point of view it has been one of my greatest years.

Having the honour of being voted into the leadership group by you guys, amongst the calibre of people that were already in that group is one of my greatest achievements. Watching the development of our team and the performances of players, particularly the young players, has been inspiring. You are not in the team because of your age, you are in because of your SANFL performances and more importantly your AFL performances.

When I look back at my career in 5 or 6 weeks, it is not going to look that impressive based on stats, games played, or goals. What it will have is substance. To have been traded and delisted by the age of 23, spend 3 years in the VFL and get drafted again at 26, it has been a career of twists and turns.

Port Adelaide drafting me at 26 has changed my life FOREVER. I thank Peter Weightman our Victorian scout for continually bringing my name up, Dean Bailey for continuing the push and Choco for making the final decision. I’m sure that they were all wondering what they had done when I had no touches in my first game however.

I came over here on a one year deal, with the thought I may play 5 or so games. To be standing here 4 years later, I am so proud.

At the start of my AFL career I had two goals. One was to win a premiership and the other was to play 100 games. I’m currently on 97 and who knows. But I have reached the stage where I use the analogy of a cricketer who has just been dismissed for 97 or 98. As he walks back in the room people say you must be so disappointed that you could not reach 100. The majority would reply, yes I am, but I will take 97 any day. That is how I feel.

Rather than thank everybody as a group, I would rather thank you all individually over the next month.

As a player I am not the most skilful, not the fastest, not the strongest, my endurance is OK, I battle to reach my skinfold targets each month (thanks to genetics) and as we all know I have small hands. But what I do is TRY. I TRY REALLY, REALLY HARD and I NEVER GIVE IN. For all the talent that is in this room if we all just try and never give in we will create something special over the next month.

Thankyou

mahns