West Coast premiership star Jeremy McGovern medically retired by AFL concussion panel

A Grand Final was slipping away. Then, a self-proclaimed ‘fat kid from Albany’ thrust himself into West Coast history. Jeremy McGovern opens up after his forced retirement.

Jeremy McGovern says he arrived at West Coast as a “fat kid from Albany.”

He leaves the Eagles a premiership player, five-time All-Australian, club champion and modern defensive great but most importantly, “a little lighter.”

In front of a packed West Coast function room on Friday containing players, staff and even former coach Adam Simpson, McGovern revealed he deep down knew his latest concussion would spell the end of his career even before the AFL made the decision to medically retire him.

The 33-year-old has not played since round 8 after suffering a head knock against Melbourne and was told last week his 197-game career in blue and gold was likely over before the decision was formalised two days ago.

An emotional McGovern says he’s at peace with the panel’s decision and is content with what he got out of the game across his 15 year career at the top level.

“I’ve had a fair few weeks to think about it,” McGovern said. “It’s not the way I want to go out but I respect the decision and it’s the right decision as much as I hate to admit it.

“I was anxiously waiting and hoping for the best but I thought deep down this might be the decision.

Jeremy McGovern has been medically retired. Picture: Julian Smith

McGovern soars to take a clutch grand final mark. Picture: Julian Smith

“For me and my long term health, it’s the right decision and I’m at peace with it because I respect the game.

“In this instance, it’s unlucky for me. But at the same time, there’s a beauty to it.

“It can get taken away at any time so I hope everyone cherishes and understands what our players go through every time they step on the footy field.”

McGovern couldn’t put a number on how many concussions he’s suffered since he started playing football but conceded he still had some work to do to put his latest head knock behind him.

“I’ve still got to work through a fair bit of that,” he said. “I’ve got to make sure I’m doing everything I can for my long-term health.”

McGovern retires a five-time All Australian and a premiership hero, involved in the iconic passage of play that led to Dom Sheed’s match winning set shot against Collingwood in 2018.

He was in significant doubt to play in the decider after suffering internal bleeding and broken ribs in the preliminary final against Melbourne.

McGovern has long been lauded for his resilience, playing through injuries others can’t.

In a game against Sydney last year, McGovern lost a tooth in a collision with Braeden Campbell and simply handed it to a trainer before continuing to play.

McGovern Grand Final mark

“I feel like that’s the way I play and the way I was taught and that’s what’s expected - to give everything,” McGovern said. “Being a backman, you get yourself into some tough situations sometimes but as long as they don’t score I’m normally alright with it. If they score, it hurts a little more.

“It’s the way I was brought up.”

Recruited at pick 44 in the 2010 rookie draft, McGovern was the quintessential project player.

He was banished from the club due to a lack of professionalism when Simpson arrived as coach in 2014, a moment McGovern regards as the turning point of his career.

“The club backed me,” he said. “It was a tough start for me and I had a lot of lessons to learn.

“I was way off the mark. Professionalism wasn’t my one-wood. I could play football but my commitment to the game wasn’t high enough.

“Simmo did the best thing for me and sent me away with Mark Nicoski who looked after me and gave me the best opportunity to get back and play footy.

“It was an eye-opener. It was either delist me or give me a chance.

“I’ll never forget the 2km time trials, that’s for sure.”

Then came the pinnacle.

Without McGovern, there is no Sheed from the boundary. And without McGovern, the Eagles might not have even made the top two in 2018.

His goal after the siren against Port Adelaide late in the season helped West Coast cement a home qualifying final following a week of turmoil sparked by Andrew Gaff’s derby hit on Andrew Brayshaw.

“They were the good times,” McGovern said. “The premiership is definitely the highlight but that whole year was a highlight.

“I was so grateful to be part of it.”

As one of the best intercept defenders of the modern era, let alone in Eagles’ history, McGovern changed the way teams approach team defence.

After several years ruined by injury, playing 46 of a possible 85 games between 2020 and 2023, McGovern still had one last chapter left in his illustrious career, winning his maiden John Worsfold medal last season.

“It had been a long time since I’d strung a consistent season together,” he said. “It was great to get back to playing some good footy and punch that year out but unfortunately injury has been a big part of my story.

“It’s something I’ve had to deal with and manage. It’s taught me heaps and I would’ve loved to have played more games but that’s not my path or my story.”

As for the future, McGovern told his teammates he’s always “a phone call away” but his priority is his health.

Outside of football, he runs the McGovern foundation, dedicated to providing driving lessons to disadvantaged youth in Perth.