Brisbane Lions veteran Daniel Rich hints at retirement, talks missing out on finals

Daniel Rich has opened up on the prospect of Brisbane winning a premiership without him and whether this could be his last season in the AFL.

Daniel Rich. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England.

Injured Brisbane veteran Daniel Rich has hinted this could be his last season of footy but remains hopeful he can still make an impact on the Lions in September.

The 33-year-old has not featured at AFL level since round 13 and recently suffered a hamstring injury while playing VFL that will keep him out for at least the next two weeks.

The emergence of Conor McKenna and Darcy Wilmot across halfback has limited Rich’s AFL opportunities and the longtime Lion comes off-contract at the end of the season.

He said there had been no decisions made over his future but stressed he did not want to be a “distraction” to the club’s finals campaign.

“There’s a lot of thoughts but an exact decision hasn’t been made yet,” Rich said.

“I suppose it’s pretty black and white that I’m not getting any younger and that’s the lay of the land.

Daniel Rich is weighing up whether this is his last year of AFL. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“The finals is a whole new season that I want to be there for and hopefully be ready if I’m needed, but I’m just a small piece of the puzzle.

“I’ve always been a big one who does stuff away from footy so when that time comes (retirement) it’s a transition that’s pretty smooth to be honest.

“We’ll cross that bridge at the end of the year and have a chat. I’m just a small piece of our footy club and don’t want to be any distraction when it comes to that side of things.”

Rich was recruited to the Lions with pick No. 7 in the 2008 national draft and has played 275 games over 15 seasons at the club.

The West Australian was named AFLPA Best First Year Player in 2009 and earned his first All-Australian guernsey in 2021.

When fit he has been a mainstay of the Lions and one of their most consistent performers through both the club’s lean years and its recent seasons of finals contention.

Rich has been squeezed out this year. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images.

Robert Murphy and Nathan Jones were two longtime clubmen who had to watch from the sidelines as the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne respectively broke premiership droughts in recent years.

If Rich does not feature in September and the Lions go on to win the flag under Chris Fagan, he would be in the same conversation.

But the selfless leader said it would not bother him so long as the club enjoyed success.

“To be honest I couldn’t think of anything better,” Rich said.

“I’m not going to let one season define me as a person or my career. I’m still part of the team whether I’m out there or not, in my opinion.

“I love my teammates, I love the club, so I would be the happiest man in the world if they were to win the grand final – and if I wasn’t out there it wouldn’t change anything.

“I know it can be seen one way or the other but to be honest, I’d be so happy for the boys, for the footy club and for our fans if we were able to win, whether I’m out there or not.”

Originally published as Brisbane Lions veteran Daniel Rich hints at retirement, talks missing out on finals