AFL 2024: Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane announces retirement

Rory Sloane has announced his retirement after the risk of another eye injury became too great. The former Crows captain opens up on how he came to the difficult decision.

Rory Sloane thought he might be able to pull just one more “out of the hat” and yet again come back from a serious injury.

In fact he was just a “couple of days” away from making a return via a SANFL game for Adelaide earlier this month, before he weighed up just what he was trying to achieve and put his ego aside to make the tough call.

The 34-year-old on Monday announced his retirement from professional footy after 16-years and 255 games for the Crows.

A former captain of the club, and two-time best and fairest, Sloane will go down as one of the great Crows warriors with his consistent desire to put his body on the line - even if it meant getting injured.

Rory Sloane with coach Matthew Nicks face the media. Picture: Dean Martin

But a second surgery on a detached retina, the sixth eye issue of his career, suffered in pre-season was just one injury too many for the Crows champion who made the call to retire for the sake of his long-term health.

Addressing the club, and his family of wife Belinda and children Sonny, Bodhi and Summer, Sloane said he knew retiring was where his 2024 was heading for a couple of months.

But he said he would have regretted not trying everything he could to try and return to footy, lamenting that “far out I was close”.

“Probably two months ago I had that feeling but I felt that there was still so much more that I could have tried to do and if I made the call back then I would have regretted it,” he said.

“But I absolutely know it is the right call, I love my vision, I love seeing things and there is still so much more than I want to do with life.

“There have been people I have chatted to along the way who have come out the other side of detached retinas that have definitely spooked me as well.

“I’ve had all the medical advice you could possibly receive and to continue playing would have meant ignoring that advice which I just couldn’t do.

“I was probably a couple of days away from one game in particular from being ready and as it got closer I was just like what am I trying to achieve really.

“To be honest I was just wanting to chase that feeling again and be a part of this group and help out where I could.

“And that was probably my ego just driving me.”

Last year Sloane signed a one-year contract to go into a 16th season at West Lakes after being drafted with the 44th pick of the 2008 draft.

His 22 games he played in 2023 came after he suffered a ruptured ACL in 2022, limiting his appearances to just the four for that year.

Sloane with his family, wife Belinda and kids, Sonny, 4, Bohdi, 3, and Summer. Picture: Dean Martin

On Monday Sloane revealed that he probably shouldn’t have been able to come back from that knee injury.

“I probably shouldn’t have played last year with how my knee went and the amount of meniscus that got taken out of it,” he said.

“Last year I made sure I cherished every moment playing last year, looking at the ground, making memories with my children. They are some of the most beautiful memories that I am going to cherish forever.

“To scrape that year last year was something I am really proud of off the back of a pretty horrendous knee injury.

“I thought I might be able to do it again and pull one out of the hat but it was probably just too much.

“It was the medical advice that I really had to take into consideration and what I was willing to risk, there is so much of life that I haven’t explored or experienced yet with my children and I really want to see that.

“So it was about putting a value on that.”

In a bid to return to footy after his latest eye issue, Sloane donned protective glasses in training and match simulation.

He said they actually felt good, but with detached retinas more coming from contact rather than pokes to the eye, he just couldn’t go out the way he wanted to.

“Everyone has an ultimate way of how they want to retire. I just wanted to make sure I had nothing left in the tank,” he said.

Sloane and Taylor Walker after the 2017 preliminary final win over Geelong. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

Sloane celebrates with Andrew McLeod after his debut against the Hawks.

“I said to the boys I was going to play until I slowed down or was running around and couldn’t get a kick in the twos and they had to throw me out of the club because I was taking up space.

“That was how I envisioned it but no-one ever finishes the way they want to.”

Sloane was emotional when talking about the impact good friend Taylor Walker had on his time at West Lakes and said he had been stressing about telling his teammates about his retirement plans.

Crows senior coach Matthew Nicks said he “probably wouldn’t be here at the moment” if he didn’t have Sloane as captain and at the club for his first couple of years at West Lakes.

“This morning was tough but at the same time it was a celebration of what Rory has brought to this footy club, not only to the footy club but I would say the state,” he said.

“Anyone who follows football in South Australia I would say would have a huge amount of respect for what Sloaney has been able to do across 16 years both on and off the field.

“I have been privileged to be here for four to five years to see how he operates.

“Everyone knows on-field, it will be one of the greatest highlight packages you will see, he has ticked all the boxes that he wants to tick, crashing into the footy, going in hard, doing everything he can for his teammates.

“But what people don’t see is the stuff he does off the ground, he is a person who naturally prioritises others and it makes it easier when you have a leader with that characteristic.”

From Victoria, Sloane has resisted the lure of home on multiple occasions.

Rory Sloane wearing ski goggles at Crows training this year. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

A young Sloane in 2008 Picture: RAY TITUS

He said short-term he would remain in South Australia, but didn’t know what the future had planned.

“It has been 16 years out of 34, it is a big chunk of your life,” he said.

“We have fallen in love with the state… I am always open to whatever is next, right now the answer is yes because I love this place and the people inside it.

“But you never know where life takes you. I said to Belinda a couple of years ago let’s move to Italy for a year… I could find myself anywhere.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane announces retirement