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Even though we knew it was coming, it's still brought a tear to my eye:
Thursday 25 August 2005
WHITE CONFIRMS RETIREMENT PLANS
Triple premiership utility Darryl White has announced that he will retire after the AAPT Brisbane Lions’ last game in 2005.
White, 32, is a certain inclusion in the Lions senior team to play St Kilda in the must-win Round 22 match at Docklands on Saturday. If the Lions lose, or the Lions win but Essendon fails to beat Melbourne on Sunday, then it will be his 268th and final senior game.
Just like longtime teammate Craig McRae last year, White wanted to declare his retirement intentions, but did not want to prove any distraction from the team focus with a big media conference or string of interviews this week.
“I just wanted to keep it low key – this week is a big game for us and I want to win it,” White said. “I’m just concentrating on the game and I will make my final farewells when the time comes.
“Obviously I’d love for us to get into the finals, but I’ll approach this game like it’s my last.”
White said it was the toll on his mind rather than his body that convinced him the time was right to hang up the boots at the end of the 2005 campaign.
“The body’s not too bad, but the rigors of coming up mentally week in, week out for 30 weeks keeps on getting harder,” he said. “These days there seems to be more young blokes who are all 6ft 4 and 90kg, run like the wind, and can jump like kangaroos.
“There’s more running and jumping and tackling, and there seems like more ‘athletes’ and less natural footballers who can read the play in the game today.”
White, who will play his 10th game of the season against the Saints, added that he was delighted to have forced his way back into the side on merit. Playing as a roaming forward in the reserves last week, he booted nine goals for the Suncoast Lions in a 31-point win over Mt Gravatt.
“I’m glad to have earned my spot back, rather than maybe having been picked just for a farewell,” he said. “I kicked a few goals, made a few tackles, found some form, and felt pretty good.”
- 2 -
White joined the Brisbane Bears at Carrara on the Gold Coast in late 1991 after being chosen in 1990 under the zone concession rule, which gave the Bears access to both Queensland and the Northern Territory at that time.
From Alice Springs, the spring-heeled teenager was best-on-ground in his Round 1, 1992 debut against Carlton, and produced the AFL Goal of the Year two weeks later against Fitzroy, a game in which he again polled three Brownlow votes.
He was successful at centre-half-back in the mid-1990s after his early days as a pinch-hitting ruckman, but also booted a career-high 37 goals as a forward in 1996. White also played some of his best football as a wingman.
He had five top eight finishes in club best and fairest voting from 1997-2001, including a career-high fourth in 2000 and again in the club’s first premiership year of 2001.
White represented Queensland/NT and The Allies at state of origin level, won professionalism awards with both the Bears and Lions, was the Indigenous All-Stars vice-captain in 2003 and was named captain this year before an untimely injury ruled him out of the game. He also represented Australia against Ireland in 2001.
Issued by Ron McDonald
Media Production Manager
Thursday 25 August 2005
WHITE CONFIRMS RETIREMENT PLANS
Triple premiership utility Darryl White has announced that he will retire after the AAPT Brisbane Lions’ last game in 2005.
White, 32, is a certain inclusion in the Lions senior team to play St Kilda in the must-win Round 22 match at Docklands on Saturday. If the Lions lose, or the Lions win but Essendon fails to beat Melbourne on Sunday, then it will be his 268th and final senior game.
Just like longtime teammate Craig McRae last year, White wanted to declare his retirement intentions, but did not want to prove any distraction from the team focus with a big media conference or string of interviews this week.
“I just wanted to keep it low key – this week is a big game for us and I want to win it,” White said. “I’m just concentrating on the game and I will make my final farewells when the time comes.
“Obviously I’d love for us to get into the finals, but I’ll approach this game like it’s my last.”
White said it was the toll on his mind rather than his body that convinced him the time was right to hang up the boots at the end of the 2005 campaign.
“The body’s not too bad, but the rigors of coming up mentally week in, week out for 30 weeks keeps on getting harder,” he said. “These days there seems to be more young blokes who are all 6ft 4 and 90kg, run like the wind, and can jump like kangaroos.
“There’s more running and jumping and tackling, and there seems like more ‘athletes’ and less natural footballers who can read the play in the game today.”
White, who will play his 10th game of the season against the Saints, added that he was delighted to have forced his way back into the side on merit. Playing as a roaming forward in the reserves last week, he booted nine goals for the Suncoast Lions in a 31-point win over Mt Gravatt.
“I’m glad to have earned my spot back, rather than maybe having been picked just for a farewell,” he said. “I kicked a few goals, made a few tackles, found some form, and felt pretty good.”
- 2 -
White joined the Brisbane Bears at Carrara on the Gold Coast in late 1991 after being chosen in 1990 under the zone concession rule, which gave the Bears access to both Queensland and the Northern Territory at that time.
From Alice Springs, the spring-heeled teenager was best-on-ground in his Round 1, 1992 debut against Carlton, and produced the AFL Goal of the Year two weeks later against Fitzroy, a game in which he again polled three Brownlow votes.
He was successful at centre-half-back in the mid-1990s after his early days as a pinch-hitting ruckman, but also booted a career-high 37 goals as a forward in 1996. White also played some of his best football as a wingman.
He had five top eight finishes in club best and fairest voting from 1997-2001, including a career-high fourth in 2000 and again in the club’s first premiership year of 2001.
White represented Queensland/NT and The Allies at state of origin level, won professionalism awards with both the Bears and Lions, was the Indigenous All-Stars vice-captain in 2003 and was named captain this year before an untimely injury ruled him out of the game. He also represented Australia against Ireland in 2001.
Issued by Ron McDonald
Media Production Manager
