AFL retirements 2023: All the players who will hang up the boots this year

Bryn Wakefield

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AFL retirements 2023: All the players who will hang up the boots this year image

While fans may want them to, footballers can't go on forever.

Whether it's a great of the game calling time or an injury forcing a player to finish their career early, retirements are an inevitable part of footy.

The likes of Lance Franklin, Trent Cotchin, and Luke Shuey have already called time this year, with more club favourites and AFL legends sure to come. 

Here are all the players who have called time on their careers in 2023:

Adelaide 

Fischer McAsey (22)

Games: 10

Paul Seedsman (31)

Games: 132

Collingwood (49)
Adelaide (83)

Goals: 66

Honours: 

Anzac Medal (2015)

Brisbane 

Marcus Adams (30)

Games: 73

Brisbane (46)

Western Bulldogs (27)

Goals: 5

Nakia Cockatoo (26)

Games: 49

Geelong (34)

Brisbane (15)

Goals: 32

Daniel Rich (33)

Games: 275

Goals: 116

Honours: 

AFLPA Best First Year Player (2009)
All-Australian (2021)
Rising Star winner (2009)

Carlton

Ed Curnow (33)

Games: 221

Goals: 53

Honours:

Carlton Best and Fairest runner-up (2019)

Lachie Plowman (29)

Games: 145

Carlton (125)

GWS (20)

Goals: 2

Collingwood 

N/A

Essendon 

Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (30)

Games: 132*

Goals: 157

Honours:

Essendon leading goalkicker (2020)

Andrew Phillips (32)

Games: 81

GWS (14)
Carlton (27)
Essendon (40)

Goals: 28

Fremantle 

N/A

Geelong 

Jonathon Ceglar (32)

Games: 110

Hawthorn (101)
Geelong (9)

Goals: 43

Isaac Smith (34)

Games: 277

Hawthorn (165)

Geelong (67)

Goals: 204

Honours:

4x Premiership Player (2013–2015, 2022)
Norm Smith Medal (2022)

Gold Coast 

Connor Blakely (27)

Games: 78 (Fremantle)

Goals: 3

Charlie Constable (24)

Games: 16

Geelong (12)

Gold Coast (4)

Goals: 6

Greater Western Sydney 

Phil Davis (32)

Games: 192

GWS (174)
Adelaide (18)

Goals: 7

Honours:

GWS Co-Captain (2012–2019)
22under22 Team (2012)

Daniel Lloyd (31)

Games: 96

Goals: 71

Hawthorn

Max Lynch (24)

Games: 11

Goals: 4

Melbourne 

Luke Dunstan (28)

Games: 121

St Kilda (116)

Melbourne (5)

Goals: 46

Honours:

Ian Stewart Medal (2021)

Michael Hibberd (33)

Games: 197

Melbourne (113)
Essendon: (84)

Goals: 14

Honours:

All-Australian (2017)
Premiership player (2021)

North Melbourne 

Ben Cunnington (31)

Games: 238

Goals: 98

Honours:

2x North Melbourne Best and Fairest (2014, 2019)

Aaron Hall (32)

Games: 161

Gold Coast (103)
North Melbourne (58)

Goals: 94

Daniel Howe (28)

Games: 107

Hawthorn (96)
North Melbourne (11)

Goals: 24

Jack Ziebell (32)

Games: 280

Goals: 183

Honours:

North Melbourne Captain (2017–2022)
North Melbourne Vice-Captain (2014–2016)
North Melbourne Best and Fairest runner-up (2016)
22under22 Team (2013)

Port Adelaide 

Tom Jonas (32)

Games: 216

Goals: 2

Honours:

Port Adelaide Captain (2019–2022)
Port Adelaide Best and Fairest runner-up (2018)

Scott Lycett (31)

Games: 146

West Coast (75)
Port Adelaide (71)

Goals: 61

Honours:

Premiership Player (2018)

Richmond 

Jason Castagna (27)

Games: 134

Goals: 127

Honours:

3x Premiership Player (2017, 2019, 2020)

Trent Cotchin (33)

Games: 306

Goals: 141

Honours:

Brownlow Medal (2012)
3x Richmond Best and Fairest (2011–2012, 2014)
All-Australian (2012)
3x Premiership Player (2017, 2019–2020)
Richmond Captain (2012–2021)
22under22 Team (2012)

Jack Riewoldt (34)

Games: 347

Goals: 787

Honours: 

3x All-Australian (2010, 2015, 2018)
3x Coleman Medal (2010, 2012, 2018)
3x Premiership Player (2017, 2019–2020)
2x Richmond Best and Fairest (2010, 2018)
10x Richmond Leading Goalkicker (2010–2018, 2020–2021)

Robbie Tarrant (34)

Games: 194

North Melbourne (174)
Richmond (20)

Goals: 44

Honours: 

North Melbourne Best and Fairest (2016)
North Melbourne Best and Fairest runner-up (2019)
International Rules Selection (2017)

St Kilda 

N/A

Sydney 

Lance Franklin (36)

Games: 354

Hawthorn (182)
Sydney (172) 

Goals: 1066

Honours: 

2× Premiership player (2008, 2013)
8× All-Australian (2008, 2010–2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018[c])
4× Coleman Medal (2008, 2011, 2014, 2017)
Hawthorn Best and Fairest (2008)
6× Hawthorn leading goalkicker (2007–2012)
7× Sydney leading goalkicker (2014–2018, 2021–2022)
3× Brett Kirk Medal (2017, 2018, 2021)
2× AFL Goal of the Year (2010, 2013)

Tom Hickey (32)

Games: 150*

Gold Coast (12)
St Kilda (67)
West Coast (23)
Sydney (38)

Goals: 45

Paddy McCartin (27)

Games: 63

Goals: 35

Honours:

No.1 Pick AFL National Draft (2014)

West Coast 

Shannon Hurn (35)

Games: 333

Goals: 50

Honours:

2x All-Australian (2018, 2019[vc])
West Coast Captain (2015–2019)
AFLPA Best Captain (2019)
3x Glendinning–Allan Medal (2017, 2018, 2019)
Premiership Player (2018)
2x West Coast Best and Fairest runner-up (2009, 2022)

Nic Naitanui (33)

Games: 213

Goals: 112

Honours: 

3x All-Australian (2017, 2020–2021)
2x West Coast Best and Fairest (2020, 2021)
AFL Mark of the Year (2015)
22under22 Team (2012)

Luke Shuey (33)

Games: 248

Goals: 142

Honours:

West Coast Captain (2020–2023)
2x West Coast Best and Fairest (2016, 2019)
Premiership Player (2018)
Norm Smith Medal (2018)

Western Bulldogs 

Josh Bruce (31)

Games: 163

GWS (14)
St Kilda (99)
Western Bulldogs (42)

Goals: 234

Honours:

St Kilda leading goalkicker (2015)
Western Bulldogs leading goalkicker (2021)

 

Bryn Wakefield

Bryn Wakefield Photo
Bryn is a content producer for Sporting News, covering AFL and Australian Rules Football. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, he has thrived in the passionate sporting city, desperate for ultimate success despite its underdog tag.