Just ahead of round 18, Tiger defender Robbie Tarrant announced his immediate retirement. Tarrant, 34, was drafted by North Melbourne in 2007. A string of injuries restricted him to just two games in his first three seasons, but he fought his way through to establish himself as a consistent defender. He played 194 games for the Kangaroos before being traded to the Tigers at the end of 2021. He played 20 games for the Tigers last year. The worsening injury to his hip left him no choice but to retire. He expressed an "overwhelming sense of appreciation" for his long AFL career. He said, “I know if I do not announce it today, that I will keep trying to play, and I am worried about where that will land me come season's end. Having missed the draft as a 17-year-old, I knew from then on that if I was going to make it, I was going to have to work as hard as I could. And I finish up today knowing that I have done that. I have got nothing left in the tank.”
Richmond General Manager Blair Hartley hailed Tarrant’s excellent AFL career, “We brought Robbie to our club because we admired how he went about things on and off the field and knew that he would make us a better team. Across his two years with us, he displayed all his great traits, setting an example and providing leadership for younger players. While this year did not work out for Robbie due to his injury troubles, he certainly put his best foot forward and gave himself every chance... Robbie can be proud of his time with Richmond and in the AFL. Across 16 years, he has been a brilliant player... "
Source: Tate Spiteri, Richmond Media Release
Article last changed on Sunday, July 16, 2023 - 6:00 PM EDT
In his first three seasons, a series of ailments limited him to just two games, but he persevered to establish himself as a reliable defender, elastic man