EIGHT premiership players, six club captains and a Brownlow Medal winner make up our Retired Best 22 for the 2023 season.
Headlined by one of the greatest players the game has ever seen, Lance Franklin, AFL.com.au has assembled a star-studded 22 of players who farewelled the game this year.
WHO’S CALLED IT QUITS 2023’s retirements and delistings
The team features a total of 19 All-Australian blazers, seven Coleman Medals, two Norm Smith Medals and the Brownlow won by Trent Cotchin in 2012.
Franklin leads the forward line alongside triple-premiership Tiger Jack Riewoldt, Shannon Hurn and Daniel Rich provide plenty of momentum from the half-back line while Nic Naitanui, Cotchin, Luke Shuey and Ben Cunnington will handle the centre bounces with Isaac Smith and Paul Seedsman on the wings.
The team includes a total of 4641 games at AFL level, an average of 211 per player, and includes 12 players who played more than 200 games (the trio at full-back – Michael Hibberd, Phil Davis and Robbie Tarrant – all finished their careers on between 190 and 200 games).
RETIRED BEST 22 OF 2023
B: Michael Hibberd, Phil Davis, Robbie Tarrant
HB: Shannon Hurn, Tom Jonas, Daniel Rich
C: Isaac Smith, Luke Shuey, Paul Seedsman
HF: Jack Ziebell, Lance Franklin, Jason Castagna
F: Josh Bruce, Jack Riewoldt, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
Foll: Nic Naitanui, Trent Cotchin, Ben Cunnington
I/C: Tom Hickey, Ed Curnow, Marcus Adams, Paddy McCartin
Full-backs
Michael Hibberd (Essendon, Melbourne)
Premiership player (2021), All-Australian (2017), 197 games
Phil Davis (Adelaide, Greater Western Sydney)
GWS co-captain, 192 games
Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne, Richmond)
B&F winner (2016), 194 games
Half-backs
Shannon Hurn (West Coast)
Premiership player (2018), All-Australian (2018, 2019), West Coast captain, AFLCA best captain (2019), 333 games
Tom Jonas (Port Adelaide)
Port Adelaide captain, 215 games
Daniel Rich (Brisbane)
All-Australian (2021), Ron Evans Medal - AFL Rising Star (2009), 275 games
Centre
Isaac Smith (Hawthorn, Geelong)
Premiership player (2013, 2014, 2015, 2022), Norm Smith Medal (2022), 280 games
Luke Shuey (West Coast)
Premiership player (2018), Norm Smith Medal (2018), B&F winner (2016, 2019), West Coast captain, 248 games
Paul Seedsman (Collingwood, Adelaide)
132 games
Half-forward
Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
North Melbourne captain, 280 games
Lance Franklin (Hawthorn, Sydney)
Premiership player (2008, 2013), All-Australian (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), All-Australian captain (2018), Coleman Medal (2008, 2011, 2014, 2017), B&F winner (2008), 354 games
Jason Castagna (Richmond)
Premiership player (2017, 2019, 2020), 134 games
Full-forward
Josh Bruce (Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs)
163 games
Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
Premiership player (2017, 2019, 2020), All-Australian (2010, 2015, 2018), Coleman Medal (2010, 2012, 2018), B&F winner (2010, 2018), 347 games
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (Essendon)
133 games
Followers
Nic Naitanui (West Coast)
All-Australian (2012, 2020, 2021), B&F winner (2020, 2021), 213 games
Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
Premiership captain (2017, 2019, 2020), Brownlow Medal (2012), AFLCA Champion Player (2012), All-Australian (2012), AFLPA best captain (2018), B&F winner (2011, 2012, 2014), Richmond captain, 306 games
Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
B&F winner (2014, 2019), 238 games
Interchange
Tom Hickey (Gold Coast, St Kilda, West Coast, Sydney)
150 games
Ed Curnow (Adelaide, Carlton)
221 games
Marcus Adams (Western Bulldogs, Brisbane)
73 games
Paddy McCartin (St Kilda, Sydney)
63 games
