Richmond champion Alex Rance has opened up on the motives behind his sudden retirement.
The premiership-winner had the football world in disbelief on Thursday morning, when he suddenly announced his time in the AFL was over.
The superstar fullback, a five-time All-Australian, missed virtually all of Richmond's premiership campaign in 2019 after rupturing his ACL in round one.
Making a full recovery from the knee injury, Rance was expected to commence full training in time for the Christmas break.
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But his shock announcement on Thursday immediately fuelled speculation Rance's injury fears influenced his decision.
However, in a tell-all interview with Richmond great Matt Richardson, Rance assured his retirement came down to other life priorities.
"That's something I wanted to make sure of, [that] I got through my knee rehab. Today I would've trained full training," Rance said.
"I didn't want to make it because of my knee or because my body was saying enough. I wanted to make it a clear choice that I want to make, what was important to me and what was a priority in my life.
"Football has been [a priority] for such a long time. I've dedicated so much time and energy to it. I'm the type of person that if I commit to something I'm just going to go at it a bullet a gate.
"That's had it's benefits but it's also left some other areas of my life wanting, I need to spent some more time in those areas now."
Whilst the Tigers star's shock retirement despite having two years left on his contract blindsided the AFL community, it's not the first time the 30-year-old has pondered hanging up the boots.
A devout Jehovah's Witness and family man, Rance reportedly weighed up an early end to his career five years ago to focus on his faith and other values.
Whilst he insists he has no regrets over playing on, the 200-gamer admits he's always carried with him unanswered questions.
"I guess I didn't really deal with the underlying things in 2015 that were causing me that uncertainty," The Tigers star revealed.
"I just sort of treated footy almost like a band-aid or a drug, sort of 'keep at it, invest more time, invest more energy' but underneath I still felt uneasy, I just felt uneasy, I was split two worlds.
"I don't regret a thing because I've learned so much across the journey and met so many amazing people. But I wish I had have been more honest with myself to understand what makes me happy and what I need."
"The main focus I want in my life going forward is my spiritual growth. Just to dedicate more time and energy to that because it's always been in the background and a big part of me but it's just always got the best of the rest.
A 200-game career forged against the competition's best forwards.
— Richmond FC 🐯🏆 (@Richmond_FC) December 18, 2019
📹 A glimpse at some of Alex Rance's very best pic.twitter.com/WbTkOOzfFc
Rance also reflected on having regrets over not devoting enough time and energy to family.
"One of the things that really sticks in my mind is at a function one of the boys came up to one of my family and said 'it must be amazing being around Rancey, he must be the funniest guy, and have a laugh all the time' and they're like 'what do you mean? He just sleeps all the time," the 2015 Jack Dyer Medalist said.
"That has always stuck in my mind, that I don't want to be that guy, and be that funny larrikin for them."
Rance's legacy will live on forever in Richmond's history, and as one of the best defenders of his generation, having played a key role in guiding the Tigers to their drought-breaking 2017 flag.
