West Coast Eagles captain Darren Glass says a lack of confidence in his ability to play “good, consistent” footy for the rest of 2014 factored into his decision to walk away from the AFL on Thursday.
The 2006 premiership player announced his immediate retirement after struggling to overcome an array of hip and ankle injuries which restricted the 33-year-old to eight of the West Coast’s first 11 games.
The 270-game veteran turned down an the club’s request to give Glass a send-off game against the Gold Coast Suns at Patersons Stadium on Saturday.
“I have been struggling to string a couple of games together this season and I feel like it’s time I step aside and let someone else come in,” Glass said in front of teammates and family.
“I have really been struggling to back up from one game to the next. It has been a tough decision, but I am comfortable that it’s the right decision.”
One of the premier key defender of the past decade, Glass feels as if he extended his career a year too long after 2013’s disappointing nine-win season, ending consecutive finals appearances for the club.
“I’m not confident of playing any decent and good, consistent footy in the back half of the year, so it’s all over. With hindsight I’ve probably played a year too long. At the end of last season I was really confident I could play this year, but it hasn’t panned out that way.”
Glass captained West Coast in 129 contests, second only behind John Worsfold (138), and played in two Grand Finals, defeating Sydney in a classic one-point win in 2006. He was a three-time club best and fairest (07,09,11) and a four-time All-Australian (06, 07, 11, 12).
The role of full-time captain is most likely to fall to on-ballers Scott Selwood and Matt Priddis or big forward Josh Kennedy.
Congratulations on a wonderful career to Darren Glass. We were adversaries since ’99 in U18s & had some great battles. True leader! #respect
— Matthew Pavlich (@mattpav29) June 12, 2014
All the best to Darren glass on his retirement from the @WestCoastEagles he’s been a great player and super roll model for #AFL
— Shane Crawford (@SCrawf9) June 12, 2014
Get amongst CraveOnlineAU on Twitter and Facebook for daily sport, music, entertainment and gaming news.
Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
