Travis Boak retirement decision: Boak close to decision on if he’ll play on in 2025
Travis Boak is expected to make a call on his future in the coming 24 to 48 hours, and MATT TURNER reveals he has an inkling as to if he wants to play on or call time on his career.
Port Adelaide expects club great Travis Boak will make a call on his future in the next 24 to 48 hours.
It is understood Boak, the Power’s all-time games record holder, is leaning towards playing on, but is yet to make a final decision.
Port has put the ball in the 36-year-old’s court after a solid season in which he featured in 23 of the club’s 26 games and averaged 18.22 disposals playing mainly on a wing.
The Power believed Boak’s experience would be valuable for a squad that was the eighth-youngest in the league this year and had lost veterans Dan Houston (Collingwood), Charlie Dixon and Trent McKenzie (both retired).
All signs are pointing towards the former captain continuing into a 19th season.
“I think Travis is closer to making a decision,” Power football boss Chris Davies said.
“Travis has played some really good footy this year and we’d be supportive of him if he wants to continue.”
Boak is one of the Power’s most decorated players.
He is its longest-serving AFL captain (139 games), a dual best-and-fairest winner (2011, 2019), three-time All-Australian (2013, 2014, 2020) and Brownlow Medal runner-up (2020).
The Victorian sits on 371 matches, ranking him 12th all-time in VFL/AFL history.
Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury is the only active player older than Boak now that Geelong forward Tom Hawkins has retired.
It took a fortnight last year before Boak and the Power agreed on a new deal for 2024.
Speaking after his exit meeting three weeks ago, Boak was unsure what he would do.
“Honestly I don’t know,” he said.
“The hurt from (the preliminary final loss to Sydney) is still going through my head.
“I’ll have a think over the next week or so and we will go from there.”
Goalsneak Francis Evans, fellow ex-Cat Quinton Narkle, second-year key defender Kyle Marshall and emerging tall forward Tom Scully are also without deals for next season.
Evans played 17 games this past campaign, including all three finals.
Narkle, who played 13 matches during his second season at Alberton, was set to be delisted but he was expected to join another club during the supplemental selection period.
Marshall and Scully are yet to play at AFL level.
Untried backman Tom McCallum is the only Power delisting so far.
Port is expected to make other list changes next week.
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