MELBOURNE captain Daisy Pearce has announced her retirement from the AFLW after 55 games at the highest level and countless more in the state league.
The 34-year-old made the announcement on Wednesday morning at the MCG, flanked by Melbourne coach Mick Stinear as her partner, two children, and teammates watched on.
"I'm closing the chapter on my playing career with a very full heart, not just because we ticked the premiership box in the season just gone, but because of a career that I've loved and cherished," she said.
"I think there was a bit of an assumption that it was win it and I'm done or lose it and I might have to consider going again, but in fact the satisfaction of last season, the enjoyment and the closeness of the bonds that we've now formed, it actually made it a bit more confusing and harder to step away.
"No matter what's happened over the journey, content has never been something that I have felt, so as the weeks ticked by post-season, whilst there were definitely spurts of thinking about going back-to-back... there was also an element of overall satisfaction.
"It's probably been one of the harder decisions that I've ever had to make."
Pearce captained the Dees in 2017-2018, then again from 2020 to season seven, 2022 after taking time off in 2019 to give birth to twins Sylvie and Roy.
COMMENT Pearce's story one of humour, humility and heart
She made the AFLW All-Australian team in 2017, 2018 and 2022 (season six), as well as being voted the AFL Players' Association's best captain four times.
Her remarkable career was capped off by an elusive premiership in November when the Demons toppled Brisbane in a memorable decider.
Under Pearce's leadership, the Demons threatened for the premiership nearly every season, and made two Grand Finals in 2022 before finally getting over the line in season seven.
Pearce joined Melbourne as a marquee player ahead of the AFLW's inaugural season after a storied 200-game career in the Victorian Women's Football League.
Her legacy in the women's state league lives on, with the league's best and fairest award named after Pearce (and fellow footy pioneer Helen Lambert).
ANALYSIS Why Daisy Pearce's impact stretches beyond AFLW
Her impact on footy extended far beyond the AFLW space as part of Channel 7's commentary team for AFL matches.
Pearce has already secured a coaching position at Geelong, and expects to start at the Cattery later this year.
"Geelong's not putting any pressure on me to make any decision too soon," she said.
"The biggest deadline is Roy and Sylvie starting kindergarten on February second."
>>Watch the full press conference in the player below
