‘Wasn’t a fairytale’: Delisted Bomber Dylan Shiel calls time and makes candid footy admission
Delisted Bomber and former Giant Dylan Shiel has called time on his AFL career, with an emotional and candid retirement announcement, revealing his AFL path “broke me open more than once.”
Dylan Shiel has called time on his career after failing to find a lifeline at a third club.
The 32 year old was delisted by the Bombers at the end of the season, with Shiel initially open to playing on in 2026.
But the All Australian officially hung up the boots, spelling the end of a 234-game career.
“Along the way, I’ve made friendships that will outlast football. Teammates who became family, he wrote on social media.
“Coaches and staff who invested in me as a person, not just a player. And fans who supported me through it all — the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
“But the truth is this: my journey wasn’t a fairytale. It was hard. It was heavy. It broke me open more than once.
“There were seasons where it felt like all I did was fight — for form, for confidence, for a place, for belief. Yet every time the game tried to push me out, something inside me pushed back harder.
“I’m proud of that. Maybe more than anything else.
“Because at the end of the day, I’m just a boy who held onto his dream with both hands … and refused to let go.
“If I’ve learned one thing from all the years, all the bruises, and all the battles, it’s this:
“You don’t always get the story you imagined — but if you keep showing up with heart, you’ll end up with a story worth telling.”
Shiel played 99 games for Essendon after making the move from the Giants, where he started his career as an inaugural Giants player in 2012.
He played 135 games for GWS, earning All Australian status in 2017, before moving to the Bombers at the end of 2018.
Originally published as ‘Wasn’t a fairytale’: Delisted Bomber Dylan Shiel calls time and makes candid footy admission
