West Coast veteran Andrew Gaff has introduced his AFL retirement, however the Eagles need to get him to the magical 300-match mark earlier than sending him off into the sundown.
Gaff knowledgeable his teammates on Wednesday he won’t proceed his distinguished profession right into a fifteenth season.
The 32-year-old has battled a degenerative ankle harm over the previous two years, the ailment severely impacting his output.
Gaff has spent most of this 12 months within the WAFL, that includes simply 3 times at AFL stage.
The hard-running wingman has notched 278 video games for the Eagles since being snared with decide No.4 within the 2010 nationwide draft.
Gaff has additionally performed 18 pre-season video games, one sport for Victoria and one Worldwide Guidelines sport in opposition to Eire.
To be eligible for AFL life membership, a participant must characteristic in 300 matches.
West Coast need to get Gaff over the road, confirming he can be chosen for Saturday’s AFL conflict with North Melbourne in Hobart earlier than having an emotional farewell subsequent week at Optus Stadium in opposition to Carlton.
Jack Darling achieved the 300-match feat earlier this season.
Gaff achieved lots throughout his profession.
He was West Coast’s 2015 membership champion, the Eagles’ 2016 participant of the finals and a two-time All-Australian (2015, 2018).
However his notorious punch that broke Andrew Brayshaw’s jaw in spherical, 20, 2018 price Gaff the prospect to characteristic in West Coast’s premiership that 12 months.
Gaff was determined to style the last word group success however it wasn’t to be with West Coast’s fortunes slipping steadily after the grand-final win over Collingwood in 2018.
“Andrew has been an incredible contributor to our membership for a decade and a half and we’ll take the chance to appropriately acknowledge him within the subsequent two weeks,” West Coast soccer supervisor Gavin Bell mentioned in an announcement.
“It will likely be unhappy to see one in all our nice gamers finish his profession, however Andrew leaves an enduring legacy.
“He’s extremely revered throughout the soccer membership, not simply throughout the taking part in group and the soccer division.
“Importantly our members and followers on each the east coast and in Perth will get the chance to farewell him within the subsequent two weeks.”
Gaff, who’s the all-time main disposal winner for West Coast with 7158 possessions, expressed his want to play on in 2025 earlier this 12 months.
“I really feel like I’ve nonetheless acquired some actually good footy forward,” Gaff informed AAP after kicking a objective from 21 disposals in opposition to St Kilda on June 1.
“I am actually assured in my physique in all probability for the primary time in a short time.”
Gaff would play only one extra sport – a 19-disposal effort in a loss to North Melbourne – earlier than he was dropped again to the WAFL.
Assuming Gaff makes it by way of the upcoming video games in opposition to North Melbourne and Carlton, he’ll end on 280 matches for West Coast.
That can place him fourth on the membership’s all-time video games performed record, behind solely Shannon Hurn (333), Darling (*295) and Dean Cox (290).
