AFL: Adelaide’s Bryce Gibbs to retire after facing former club Carlton
Bryce Gibbs will retire at the end of the season, after he plays his final AFL game against former club Carlton on Sunday
Bryce Gibbs will retire at the end of the season, after he plays his final AFL game against former club Carlton on Sunday.
News Corp last month revealed that Gibbs would meet with Adelaide’s hierarchy to decide on whether he stays and fights for his spot in the final year of his contract or negotiates a payout to leave the Crows.
With just two games to go Gibbs has decided to retire at the end of the season after he and the club came to a settlement to cease the final year of his contract next year.
Gibbs is set to play his 268th and final game of his career when the Crows take on Carlton on Sunday.
“The Carlton Football Club gave me the opportunity to fulfil a boyhood dream and I cannot thank them enough,” Gibbs said.
“It was home for 11 years and the club shaped me into the person I am today, and I’ll be forever grateful for everything they have done for me.
“I have given my all in 14 seasons at the top level and I’m looking forward to playing against some of my lifelong friends one final time.”
Gibbs, 31, signed a four-year deal with Adelaide when he was traded from Carlton at the end of 2017, but he has played just two AFL games this season.
He said with Adelaide in a rebuild the time was right for him to step away.
“I’m so thankful to the Adelaide Football Club for giving me the chance to come home to South Australia and be closer to friends and family,” Gibbs said.
“I would have loved to have played more footy for the Crows and it’s an incredible environment here, and I’ve really enjoyed helping and trying to positively influence the younger blokes.
“Looking ahead to next year, there would have been limited opportunities for me given the club is rebuilding and the time is right to step aside and let the next generation grab their opportunity.”
Crows coach Matthew Nicks said last month Gibbs was “not in the window of selection” while News Corp understood the club was very pleased with the work he has done behind the scenes in helping develop its young players but would require him to improve his fitness if he played on.
Gibbs’ manager Nigel Carmody said last month the feedback from the Crows on the midfielder had been positive despite him only playing at AFL level in Round 1 and 9.
“All the feedback from him and those around him is he’s been exemplary in those scratch matches, having a genuine crack at it and what he’s giving the younger guys too,” Carmody said.
Nicks said on Thursday Gibbs’ attitude had been first class despite not playing too much footy.
“Bryce has shown tremendous leadership this season, despite not playing as much football as he would have liked,” Nicks said.
“His overall attitude and his desire to pass on his knowledge and experience to our younger players has been first class and he’s truly lived our mantra of prioritising others.
“We firmly believe good things happen when you take that approach, so he will get an opportunity to play this weekend against his old side which will be a great farewell for him.”
Gibbs has played 267 games for the Blues and Crows since being drafted with the No. 1 pick of the 2006 Draft.
He played for Glenelg’s SANFL league team at just 16, coming third in the club’s 2006 best and fairest.
The Crows thought they would snare him under the father-son rule but while dad Ross played 253 games for Glenelg he had not played 200 of those games before the Crows entered the AFL in 1991.
Gibbs tried to get back to Adelaide at the end of the 2016 season, but the two clubs could not come to an agreement.
His trade in 2017 was heralded as the final piece of the Crows winning a Premiership but in 2019 he was dropped on multiple occasions by Don Pyke.
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