Port Adelaide’s Henry Slattery considering retirement after SANFL finals series

SUNDAY’S SANFL preliminary final against South Adelaide could be end of the line for Port Adelaide Magpies vice-captain Henry Slattery.

PORT Adelaide veteran Henry Slattery is seriously considering retirement and Sunday’s preliminary final clash against South Adelaide at Adelaide Oval could be his final game.

Slattery said he would meet with the club after the Magpies had completed their commitments but he hinted at ending his career by saying he would probably concentrate on his work next year as an oenologist (wine maker).

His body has also taken its toll since being drafted to Essendon in 2004 and it had been a battle to “get the body up’’ each week this year.

“It is something I will talk to the club about at the end of the season but there are opportunities with work and that will be more important at this stage,’’ Slattery said.

“I’ll have more of a think about it but I can’t say much until a chat with the club.

“I feel I have got the most out of myself and worked really hard. The body has taken a battering.

“I’ve had four hip operations, a hernia operation, my knees operated on — you name it. The body has really struggled in the last couple of years.

“I had an operation at the end of last season and it has been a big battle to get the body up every week this year. The body will be thankful to have a rest.’’

Slattery played 96 games for Essendon after being drafted from West Adelaide.

He returned to Adelaide last year to play for the Magpies and remained with the club this year as the side’s leadership player in the restructure.

While he described the season as a great experience, Slattery said it had been a difficult year considering he missed five rounds because of suspension.

“That was a long time out and I had a couple of injuries here and there,’’ he said.

“It has been difficult to get consistency and I’ve bobbed up in bits and pieces.

“I’m hard on myself and always want to get better — I demand a high standard.’’

During the minor round, the Magpies contracted and academy players trained together before having a meeting and training session with their Power team-mates the day before a game.

The Magpies contracted players and Power have trained together during the finals.

“The whole year it has been hammered into the group it is one club,’’ Slattery said. “All the players have been accepting of that and absolutely at no stage have we (Magpies contracted players) felt distant or not part of the group.

“It has been really well managed.’’

Slattery has never played in a premiership side, a fact he hopes to rectify this season. The Magpies will meet Norwood in the grand final if they conquer the Panthers on Sunday.