Essendon midfielder David Myers will retire from the game at the end of the season after losing his drive to compete.
Myers has spent large parts of the year playing VFL, after dropping himself to ensure that younger players had greater opportunities in the senior side.
The 30-year-old has played 123 games since debuting at Essendon, and was pick six in the 2007 draft.
In an open letter penned to Bomber fans, Myers thanked them for their support, explaining how he had lost his motivation to compete at the highest level of footy.
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“Football is a brutal game, and it requires you to give every part of yourself in order to have a chance at being successful,” he wrote on the Dons website.
“I have known for a while that I no longer carry the level of drive and motivation that the game demands and that my teammates and coaches deserve.
“I know in myself that the time is right for me to step away from the game at the end of this season and allow others to have the chance to live their dream.
“I have a genuine love for the football club and for the people within it, and I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to wear the red and black for the past 12 years.
“Seeing the growth of our younger players this year has given me immense satisfaction, and as an Essendon person, I can’t wait to sit back and see what the future holds.”
Myers will finish off the year in either the AFL or VFL sides, both of which have made the finals.
