AFL 2024: Geelong’s Irish star Zach Tuohy announces retirement

Geelong will plan for life without one of its most consistent players of the last decade after another retirement call.

Dylan Grimes has joined premiership teammates David Astbury and Alex Rance in retirement. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Ireland’s AFL games record holder Zach Tuohy says there’s “a lot of footy left to play” this season but will call time on his 15-year career at the end of Geelong’s campaign.

Tuohy, 34, has played 286 games since he was selected by Carlton with one of the final five picks in the 2009 rookie draft.

He passed the late Jim Stynes’ record for most games by an Irish-born player when he reached his 265th game in round 17 last season.

Tuohy joined Mark O’Connor as the second and third Irishmen to win an AFL premiership when they helped Geelong to the 2022 flag.

The long-kicking defender, who was traded to Geelong in a deal including Billie Smedts and a swap of draft picks after 120 games at Carlton, thanked the Cats for an “incredible journey”.

Zach Tuohy (right) will retire after he became one of three Irish-born players to win an AFL premiership when the Cats saluted in 2022. Picture: Daniel Carson / Getty Images

“While there is a lot of footy left to play this year, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all the members and fans for their support,” Tuohy said on Wednesday.

“I knew when I came to the Cats I was in for a treat, and I didn’t think I fully appreciated just how incredible the journey would be.”

Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie said Tuohy had been a “skilful, durable and flexible” player after leaving his home in County Laois 15 years ago.

Since the start of 2012, Tuohy has not played fewer than 18 games in a season.

“(Tuohy) will depart as the Irish games record holder, which is a remarkable achievement for someone who made the decision 15 years ago to leave home to travel across the world to play our game,” Mackie said.

Tuohy was regularly among Geelong’s best Mad Monday dressers after joining the club via trade ahead of 2017. Picture: Mark Stewart

“He is a loved and respected teammate and has contributed greatly to the environment of our club.

“We thank Zach, his wife Rebecca and children Flynn and Rafferty for their contribution to our club.”

Richmond ruckman Sam Naismith also called time on his career on Wednesday after he suffered an another ACL injury playing for the Tigers’ VFL side in May.

The 32-year-old had completed an impressive comeback from successive knee injuries at Sydney to play three senior games for Richmond after he was signed as a delisted free agent in November last year.

Grimes will miss ‘thrill of the contest’

Former Richmond co-captain and triple-premiership defender Dylan Grimes says “everything good in my life” is because of the Tigers after confirming his 234-game career is over.

The 33-year-old announced his retirement to teammates on Tuesday, bringing to an end a 15-season journey having managed just five games in 2024 due to an ongoing battle with a back injury that required season-ending surgery in June.

Grimes won three premierships, a club best and fairest and was an All-Australian after a career that began with injury issues and just 26 games across his first four seasons at the club.

He said was indebted to the club which always stuck with him.

“The club had plenty of reasons to throw in the towel with me over many years with surgeries, form slumps or whatever (else),“ Grimes said.

“There is a part of me that has had a chip on my shoulder for my entire career to try and repay the debt I felt like I owed the club.

“Almost everything good in my life, I have because of here, so thank you.

Richmond champion Dylan Grimes has called time on his 15-year AFL career after 234 games with the Club.

A triple premiership player, Jack Dyer Medallist, All-Australian, Richmond Captain and admired teammate.

An incredible ride. Thank you, Grimesy 💛

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) August 20, 2024

“To be a great club you need to have great people, and this place is blessed with some of the best that there is,”

“I will miss the thrill of the contest, and I will miss the incredible feeling of playing in front of the best fans in the world, but I leave with no regrets and just a sense of pride for everything we have achieved together.”

Grimes did not miss a game in the drought-breaking 2017 premiership season, forming an imposing backline with fellow talls David Astbury and Alex Rance, with all three now a part of the club’s history.

His retirement comes as premiership teammate Shai Bolton looks for a trade out of Punt Road, while Liam Baker and Jack Graham are also weighing up offers from West Australian clubs.

Grimes joins triple premiership teammate Dustin Martin in retiring this year and will be at the MCG this Saturday as part of celebrations when the Tigers take on Gold Coast in their final game for 2024.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong’s Irish star Zach Tuohy announces retirement