Decorated defender Grant Birchall has announced his AFL retirement after four premierships and 287 games across 15 seasons for Hawthorn and Brisbane.
A tough, classy half-back, the Tasmanian played 248 games for Hawthorn between 2006 and 2019, with his lethal left boot crucial to claiming flags in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015, plus an All-Australian berth in 2012.
After injuries restricted him to eight AFL appearances in his final two years at Hawthorn, Birchall moved to Brisbane at the end of 2020 and played a further 39 games across two seasons.
"I really loved my time at (Brisbane),'' the 33-year-old said.
"They are a terrific bunch of guys who made the final years of my career thoroughly enjoyable.
"It's time now to give the body a break, it's a tough game but I'm really proud of the fact I was able to get back to playing some good footy and was able to exit the game on my own terms.''
Birchall is the last of Hawthorn's four-time premiership players from 2008 and the three-peat to retire after Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Cyril Rioli, Jordan Lewis and Jarryd Roughead.
Lions coach Chris Fagan, who also worked with Birchall at the Hawks, hailed the defender's big-game qualities.
"The thing that stood out to me about Birch was his record in finals, he always rose to the occasion in big games and was just a superb finals performer,'' Fagan said.
"He averaged 24 possessions a game in four grand finals for the Hawks, to be able to produce those numbers on the biggest stage puts him in elite company.''
