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Retiring Thank You MitchDuncan

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Jun 21, 2011
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Geelong
Today marks the end of an era for the modern day Geelong Football Club

As a club we've been ultra stable when it comes to senior coaches this century with Bomber Thompson starting in 2000 before Chris Scott followed, coaching his first senior game in 2011

Well, with today's news that Mitch Duncan is retiring, after 15 years and over 350 games as senior coach, 2026 will mark an era where it'll truly be Scott's team for the first time as Mitch was the last Geelong drafted player to have played under 2 senior coaches in the blue & white hoops

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The kid from Perth with the wild dyed hair, selected with pick 28 that was acquired when Geelong become the first team to trade a rookie listed player, would go on to become Mr Reliable in his 305 game career

A 2 time premiership player that will always be in the records book as the first sub in a grand final and his record speaks for itself

Thanks for the memories Mitch and enjoy a well deserved retirement

Mitch Duncan AFL career at a glance​

2x Premiership Player (2011, 2022)
305 games*
185 goals*
AFL Life Member
Geelong Cats Life Member
Seventh player to play 300 games for Geelong Cats
Seven top-10 finishes in Carji Greeves Medal Count + runner-up finish in 2017
28 Finals appearances across 13 Cats’ Finals campaigns to date
Geelong Cats Leadership group member 2014, 2016-2021
 
What a wonderful servant to the club. Such a great player that’s given the club and us supporters everything he had. He may well get another game if injuries pop up which I’m sure he’ll give it everything.

Thanks Mitch. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
 
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From the Club

Premiership Cat to Hang up Boots at Season’s End​

One of greatest players in the history of the Geelong Football Club, Mitch Duncan has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2025 AFL season
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Two-time Premiership Cat Mitch Duncan has announced he will retire at the end of the Cats’ 2025 AFL campaign.

Duncan, 34, informed his teammates of his decision at training on Friday morning, as the Cats prepare to enter their 14th Finals series in his career.

Renowned as a highly skilful player whose versatility saw him slot seamlessly into various roles over the years – including as a midfielder, forward and running defender – Duncan enjoyed premiership success early in his career, playing a role in the Cats’ 2011 triumph as the youngest member in the team in just his second season of AFL.

Starting the day as the substitute, he came on for an injured James Podsiadly during the second quarter and collected 10 disposals, as well as kicking an important goal.

He played a significant role as the Cats saluted again in 2022, collecting 27 disposals, 13 marks and a goal in Geelong’s big win over Sydney.

Recruited out of Carine and East Perth in Western Australia with pick 28 in the 2009 national draft, Duncan has played 305 games to date with Geelong and kicked 185 goals since making his debut in Round 1 of the 2010 season.

He was awarded Geelong Cats Life Membership in 2017 and received AFL Life Membership earlier this year, and celebrated his 300th game in Round 11 this year, becoming just the seventh player in Geelong Football Club history to do so.

Duncan has been a valuable member of Geelong’s AFL program on and off the field for the past 16 years. He was a member of the Cats’ player leadership group across seven seasons and has had seven top-10 finishes in the Carji Greeves Medal count, including a runner-up finish in 2017 and a third placing in 2014.

“After 16 years at AFL level, I feel now is the right time to hang up the boots,” Duncan said.

“Every day I thank Stephen Wells for calling out my name on draft night in 2009. I’m grateful to have been part of this Club, a Club filled with so many great people past and present, who have not only taught me about football, but have also helped mould me into the person I am.

“At the end of our season I will sit back and reflect more, however I know that I couldn't have enjoyed the career I have if it wasn't for my wife, children and immediate family for always supporting and giving me the best opportunity to have success in my career.

“While I’m making this decision now, over the next month I’m focused on doing everything I can to help the Cats win its next premiership, whether that’s on or off the field.”

Geelong Cats Executive General Manager of Football Andrew Mackie, who played alongside Duncan from 2011-2017, congratulated Duncan on his career.

“Mitch has been an outstanding person and footballer to have at our Club over the past 16 years,” Mackie said.

“A trademark over Mitch’s 305 games to date has been his skill and high football IQ, allowing him to play with such flexibility for whatever the team has required, and continues to be a true team-first player.

“Mitch’s value has not been just with how he plays the game, but with how he has shared his knowledge and experience with the younger generations of Cats players who have come through the ranks over his career and he will continue to play an important part within our squad over this coming Finals campaign.

“While there will be a time to celebrate Mitch’s career at Geelong at the end of our season, we thank Mitch, Demi, Scarlett, Ollie, Archie and Parker for their contribution to the Club.”


www.geelongcats.com.au

Premiership Cat to Hang up Boots at Season’s End

One of greatest players in the history of the Geelong Football Club, Mitch Duncan has announced that he will retire at the end of the 2025 AFL season
www.geelongcats.com.au www.geelongcats.com.au
 

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An absolutely incredible player for our club over such a long time. The list of accolades outlined above is incredibly weighty. And yet it still barely scratches the surface of how special he has been as a player in the hoops.

There's a small part of me that feels a little burned that he will retire with only two flags, when compared to our golden generation. He was genuinely the equal of so many of the legendary players in that group. And never once being acknowledged as an All-Australian ends up being more than a little bizarre, given some of the names that were preferred to him in those teams over the course of his career.

Still, it all just underlines the sustained excellence of a player who gave everything for the GFC in every moment. Even this year is an exemplification of that, where he has continued to make himself available and has fronted up to play at whatever level the M.C. has chosen for him.

So glad he got to 300. So privileged to have watched him hit targets effortlessly and incessantly over so many seasons. And so proud that he adopted our club as his own and became absolute bedrock in the playing group and in the culture of the place.

Mitch, you will be missed. But I'm choosing to be glad that it happened, more than being sad that it's over. And the #22 will truly never be the same again.

#elitetalent
#exceptionalperson
#loveyourworkmitch
#stayclassygeelong
 
A thousand years ago I was at our ground watching a preseason VFL practice match.

Couldn’t believe Shane Mumford was even given a go running around even at that level by looking at his shape.

Anyway… that guy turned into Mitch Duncan for us.

Thanks Shane and Mitch.
 
What I enjoyed about this year was it wasn't a token gesture he got to 300 games, he earnt his spot played more than the 2 or 3 needed and I dont think he will have any regrets retiring now.

Underated champion player, a victim of playing in the same era with Dangerfield, Selwood, Ablett and Hawkins, but would be more than deserving to be in the AFL hall of fame some day down the road.

His effort as Sub in 2011 and the tackle of McCarten Early in the 3rd Quarter of 2022 showed how much he was a player for the big games.

Enjoy life after football Mitch.
 
D BRIDGE said:
A thousand years ago I was at our ground watching a preseason VFL practice match.

Couldn’t believe Shane Mumford was even given a go running around even at that level by looking at his shape.

Anyway… that guy turned into Mitch Duncan for us.

Thanks Shane and Mitch.
Click to expand...
Ironically, I don’t think he was ever quite the same after the hit from Mummy. Before that, he was starting to really take the league apart.

Edit: don’t get me wrong, he was still very very good. But before that hit, he had a month long stretch where he was genuinely looking like a Gary Hocking level player.
 
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iameviljez said:
Ironically, I don’t think he was ever quite the same after the hit from Mummy. Before that, he was starting to really take the league apart.

Edit: don’t get me wrong, he was still very very good. But before that hit, he had a month long stretch where he was genuinely looking like a Gary Hocking level player.
Click to expand...
Not so sure about that. You might be thinking about the metatarsal injury in 2015 that put him out for a while after a great run of form.

The Mumford hit was in round 2, 2016. His 2016 season went on to match his career-best to that point of 2014. Then 2017 he took it to another level. 2019 and 2020 ended up being Duncan's best years. 2019 he went at 25 disposals and almost a goal per game, while setting up many goals and scores as our (clearly) best ball user. 2020 once you account for the shorter games he hit about the same level and was our best player of the finals series. If there was a criticism to be had before then, such as 2014-2017, it was that he (along with the team) lost his composure in key moments in finals. There were some memorable stuff ups. He tidied that up as his career went on, becoming one of our most reliable big game players and we badly missed him in the 2019 finals series - injured in the QF, missed the PF. Superb at half back in 2022 including all 3 finals.
 
D BRIDGE said:
A thousand years ago I was at our ground watching a preseason VFL practice match.

Couldn’t believe Shane Mumford was even given a go running around even at that level by looking at his shape.

Anyway… that guy turned into Mitch Duncan for us.

Thanks Shane and Mitch.
Click to expand...
I remember watching Mumford play his first few games and Kelli Underwood rambling on about him being from Bunyip and winning some pie eating competition? 😂

Anyway, Mumford turned out to be a handy player, and one that we rued mildly as having lost early in the piece. However, young Mitch became a star and then it was, "Shane, who?"

That day Mumford absolutely poleaxed poor Mitch, I couldn't help but reflect on the irony of the bloke who left, gave the position to Mitch, who then cleaned Mitch up.

Give us another Mumford to turn into another Mitch Duncan any day of the week! Love you, Mitch! Enjoy your (playing) retirement, legend!
 

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From his last VFL game





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Billie Smedts ran onto the field to celebrate with former teammate Mitch Duncan. Credit: Instagram
 

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