Concussion fears have forced respected St Kilda defender Sean Dempster to end his AFL career.
Dempster, 33, had his latest head knock during the pre-season and this eventually prompted him to call time.
The hard-nosed backman was the last active AFL player from Sydney’s historic 2005 premiership team.
After three seasons with the Swans, he joined St Kilda in 2008 and made the 2012 All-Australian team.
Dempster’s courage also meant he suffered a succession of head knocks in his 222 games.
He and wife Abby are also the parents of seven-month-old daughter Harper and the new Dad said he was not prepared to risk his long-term health.
“I received a head knock in our first JLT game against Port Adelaide and it made me reassess things,” he said.
“I’ve had a few knocks in my time and it got to a point where I needed to ask myself if risking it further was the right decision.
“I’ve got a young family now and it’s time for me to move on to life after football.
“I’ve been privileged to play for two excellent clubs and have loved every minute.”
St Kilda left him out of their round-one team because of form and last week there was speculation of a falling-out between Dempster and the club.
That led to the Saints issuing a media statement, confirming Dempster was seeking medical advice and stressing there was no ill-will.
Dempster said on Thursday he had no issue with the Saints, who gave him a fortnight’s leave as he considered his future
“All I’ve ever wanted to do is to contribute to something great and for the past fifteen years, my something great has been football,” he said in a St Kilda club statement.
“I’m grateful to both clubs for letting me do that for such a long time.
“I would like to thank all the fans for their support over the years and all the players, coaches and staff that I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
Dempster had the rare distinction of playing in five grand finals, but only the first was successful.
Along with the ’05 flag, he was a member of the team that lost the grand final to West Coast the following season.
He also played in the Saints’ three grand finals in 2009-10, including the draw with Collingwood.
Saints coach Alan Richardson paid tribute to Dempster, calling him a fearless and selfless defender.
“He has been an excellent example of what a committed footballer looks like,” Richardson said.
“His dedication to his craft and his leadership through action is something I know will leave a lasting impact on our club and all at the club sincerely thank him for that and wish him well.”
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