West Adelaide star Jason Porplyzia will retire at the end of the SANFL season
WEST Adelaide premiership hero and former Crow Jason Porplyzia’s body can take no more punishment and he will retire at the end of the season.
WEST Adelaide premiership hero Jason Porplyzia’s body can take no more punishment and he will retire at the end of the season.
Porplyzia told the players of his intentions at training on Monday night, although he said the news would not come as a shock to his teammates.
He confirmed he will play the final two games.
Twice he has had surgery on his right knee this year — and five in total — and he admits he has struggled to train.
“The body, specifically the knee, has taken a fair bit of a toll in the past two, three years and coming into the season I was thinking it would be my last anyway,” Porplyzia said.
“As things progressed that was confirmed in my mind. I’m really struggling to get through training, let alone games, so it has been a battle.
“I’m pleased I have pushed out and got through the year to this point. It hasn’t been too enjoyable though trying to push through and get up for games and I’ve not been 100 per cent fit.”
Porplyzia played 130 AFL games for Adelaide, earning a reputation as an extremely accurate set shot, and was the club’s leading goalkicker in 2009 with 57.
He also finished runner-up behind Bernie Vince in the Crows’ best and fairest award.
He returned to the Bloods in 2015 and was a crucial component of the drought-breaking premiership that season.
“I’m fairly proud of what I have achieved,” Porplyzia said. “My dream since I was a kid was to play AFL footy so to achieve that was special.
“The flag in 2015 was special as well. Team success is what it is all about.”
Porplyzia, who works in junior development with the Bloods, said he would have been keen to continue playing next season if not for his injury woes.
He said he enjoyed being involved in the football industry and the football club was a great environment.
“I’ll be involved in some capacity in football,” he said.
