by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago
Giants' midfielder Luke Power has announced his retirement. Power began his career with the Brisbane Lions and went on to play in Brisbane's three Premierships. He was traded to the Giants at the end of 2011 and combined playing with a part-time assistant coaching role to help develop the young list. He was co-captain along with Callan Ward and Phil Davis. Power was also a co-captain at Brisbane.
Club CEO Dave Matthews congratulated Power on an outstanding career and said Power was highly respected in the game and had been a wonderful leader on and off the field. Matthews also said being an inaugural captain of the Giants gave Power a special place in the history of the club. Both Matthews and Power are looking forward to Power becoming a full-time assistant coach with the club.
Power thanked the Giants for the chance to continue playing and begin his coaching career, saying "when I retired from ... Brisbane ... I probably wasn’t equipped to go in to a role in coaching ... Under the tutelage of a lot of people ... I’ve learned a lot about the game, a lot about myself and about teaching young players ... I think it’s the right time. I was pretty happy with what we were able to achieve this year and the best thing for me is what is best for the group going forward. To get to 300 games was fantastic. It’s an amazing milestone and I think it shows my longevity ... and professionalism in being able to get up for a large number of games. That’s probably something that I’m most proud of. I’m really proud of the past but I’m even more excited about the future."
LUKE POWER
Debut: 1998
GAMES: 302 (282 Brisbane, 20 GWS)
GOALS: 226 (Brisbane)
Brisbane Premierships 2001-03
All-Australian 2004
Brisbane Lions Co-Captain 2007–2008
Giants Co-Captain 2012
Source: Jessica Ries, Club Media Release
Geelong Premiership player David Wojcinski has gone out in style. He was one of the best in Geelong's VFL Grand Final win over Port Melbourne. He announced his retirement just one week after teammate Matthew Scarlett called time on his career. In an article at the Cats' website, Wojcinski said it was the right time. The rebounding defender, 32, admitted that he had struggled physically this year. He played just four senior games in 2012 due to injury and a VFL suspension.
Wojcinski played 203 games for the Cats, including their 3 Premierships and the 2009 preseason Premiership. He also played in the International Rules series in 2010 and 2011. He said the 2011 Grand Final win was the most special because "... everyone wrote us off. In '07 it was amazing. It broke the drought. It was an unbelievable year."
Source: theage.com.au, geelongcats.com.au
Fremantle has delisted Jay van Berlo and rookies Gavin Roberts and Jordan Wilson-King. Van Berlo debuted in 2009 and played 32 games. His brother Nathan plays with the Adelaide Crows.
Source: Luke Morfesse, Club Media Release
North Melbourne has delisted Gavin Urquhart, Malcolm Lynch, and Brad Mangan. Urquhart debuted with the Kangaroos in 2006 and played 48 games. He was delisted at the end of 2011 but redrafted as a rookie. He managed just 7 games in 2012. Mangan was selected in last year's rookie draft while Lynch was originally drafted by the Bulldogs but managed just 2 games in three seasons due to injury. He was delisted by the Bulldogs and played for Port Melbourne 2010-11 before being rookie-listed by North. Neither he nor Lynch played any senior games in 2012.
Source: Heath O'Loughlin, Club Media Release, AFL Record Season Guide 2012
Brisbane has delisted 100 gamer Cheynee Stiller, James Hawksley, Sam Sheldon, Bryce Retzlaff, Brad Harvey (rookie), and Josh Dyson (rookie). Stiller captained the Lions Reserves their first NEAFL/QAFL Premiership in 11 years.
Hawksley debuted in 2008 and played 32 games. Sheldon, the son of former Carlton Premiership player Ken, debuted in 2009 and played 43 games. Retzlaff debuted last year and played 11 games. He did not play any senior games this year.
Source: Kate Stevens, Club Media Release, AFL Record Season Guide 2012
Article last changed on Monday, October 08, 2012 - 11:09 AM EDT
