AFL retirees: Every retirement for 2024, Chad Wingard announces retirement

Jarryd Lyons started as sub in last year’s grand final, but has lined up in just three games so far this season. He’ll call time on his career at season’s end.

Retiring Brisbane midfielder Jarryd Lyons has confirmed he will see out the rest of the finals campaign before hanging up the boots.

Lyons, who was the substitute in the 2023 grand final, announced to teammates on Thursday that his playing career would finish at the end of the season.

But with the Lions still playing finals in both the AFL and VFL, where the 32 year old has played most of his footy the past two seasons, he said he hoped to finish his career with a flag.

“This group has got what it takes, let’s make this last part as long as we can and get to the end,” he said.

“There comes a time for everyone in this industry, I guess I’m one of the lucky ones that gets to go out like this.

“It’s probably more difficult that we’re playing finals and there’s no exact ending but I just wanted to get it out of the way now and move on and hopefully create something special as a group.”

Jarryd Lyons will call time on his career. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Lyons was drafted to Adelaide in the fourth round of the 2010 draft and spent six seasons at the Crows, playing 55 games.

He was traded at the end of the 2016 season to Gold Coast, moving north for two seasons and was a consistent performer across his 37 games.

Lyons enjoyed a career-best season under Rodney Eade in 2017, with Stuart Dew taking over after Eade was sacked.

Despite averaging 24.6 disposals and 7.3 clearances per game, which was third in the competition, in 2018, he was delisted with a year to run on his contract.

He landed at the Lions as a delisted free agent, playing 102 senior games, and enjoyed a stunning season in 2021 when he averaged 28.1 touches and 6.4 tackles per game.

But Lyons fell out of favour in 2023, playing just 10 games last season and three this year.

Brisbane will play Werribee in a preliminary final on Saturday, with the winner to play either Footscray or Southport in the VFL grand final.

WINGARD CALLS TIME IN EMOTIONAL POST

Hawthorn veteran Chad Wingard has announced his retirement in an emotional Instagram post.

The forward burst onto the scene at Port Adelaide before being traded to Hawthorn and tallied 218 games across 12 seasons.

“Thank you to Port Adelaide Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club for shaping me into the player and person I am today,” he wrote in his post.

“To the fans of this great game, thank you and I hope I played a small part in entertaining you on the weekends during my journey.

“Lastly, my family, thank you for always supporting me and pushing me to be my best every day.”

Wingard tore his achilles in 2023. (Photo by Steve Bell/Getty Images)

Wingard was a bona fide star in his early years at the Power, kicking 43 goals in his second season, followed by tallies of 43 and 53 in the next two years.

The classy left-footer was named an All-Australian in 2013 and 2015 but couldn’t recapture those matchwinning highs and after kicking 38 goals in 2016, didn’t bag more than 24 in any of his next eight AFL seasons.

He was surprisingly traded to the Hawks at the end of 2019 as Alastair Clarkson sought to wrench open Hawthorn’s premiership window, but the Hawks quickly faded from contention.

He tore his Achilles in round 22 last year and steadily made his way back to fitness, playing in a losing VFL final on the weekend, but couldn’t break into the rising Hawthorn forward half.

Wingard met with Collingwood last off-season but chose to remain for one final year at the Hawks.

He tallied 300 goals in his 218 matches.

WATCH: RICHMOND FLAG HERO’S EMOTIONAL FAREWELL SPEECH

Marlion Pickett will join premiership teammates Dustin Martin and Dylan Grimes in saying goodbye to AFL football on Saturday.

The 32-year-old’s six-year AFL career will come to an end after this weekend’s clash against his former coach Damien Hardwick’s Gold Coast.

Pickett, the 13th pick in the 2019 mid-season draft, became an instant cult hero when he debuted in Richmond’s Grand Final victory over Adelaide a week after being named best on ground in the VFL decider.

“It’s been a good journey … I did not even think I was ever going to get drafted,” he said.

“To be drafted in black and yellow is an honour and to wear it is even more special.

Richmond was open to a discussion on retiree Marlion Pickett playing on next year given they will be stripped of experience but he believed his time was up. Likely to stay in Melbourne with a court case still as much as 18 months away https://t.co/E0FnlvWWewpic.twitter.com/LW8OKMY9Tb

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 22, 2024

“My past and the way I grew up is different to everyone else’s and it was not easy to get drafted. I got overlooked for six or seven years and 2019 I was about to quit all my dreams.

“I had some people in my corner, and they told me to stick at it … They told me just to give it another year.

“Five years it felt like 10 years … but the sweat, blood and tears it was a pleasure and doing it with the bunch of guys it was really special.

“I am so proud to be a Richmond man, and I am going to miss the footy.”

Pickett was 27 years old when he was drafted from South Fremantle and will finish his AFL career with 91 games after this weekend.

Tigers football manager Blair Hartley said Pickett had made “great sacrifices and worked through adversity” to achieve his AFL dream.

“He is a team-first individual who always puts others before himself and has played a significant role in multiple positions for the club, standing up in big moments in big games. Always with minimum fuss and great care for his teammates and the Richmond Football Club,” Hartley said.

“Marlion retires a two-time premiership player, which is a fantastic achievement. His uncompromising approach and hardness around the ball is something he will be remembered for.”

Originally published as AFL retirees: Every retirement for 2024, Chad Wingard announces retirement