WEST Coast club great Andrew Gaff will be given a farewell game in front of home fans after telling teammates on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of this season.
Gaff, who sits fourth on the Eagles' all-time games played list, will face North Melbourne in Hobart on Saturday before a final game at Optus Stadium in round 23, ending his career on 280 games and as the club's all-time leading disposal winner.
The back-to-back matches will take the wingman to the combined 300 games required for AFL life membership once pre-season and representative games are included.
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"(I want to be remembered as) someone who always gave their absolute all when they were out there," Gaff said.
"I always walked off the ground pretty tired and pretty sore.
"I prided myself on how hard I worked and how much effort I gave."
Gaff has played just three senior games this season as the Eagles invest in their young wingmen, but he has played a leading role behind the scenes and at WAFL level in guiding their development.
A degenerative ankle injury has been a burden on his performance for the past two seasons, but the 32-year-old will be remembered at the Eagles as one of their most consistent top-line contributors through an extended period of contention between 2015-2020.
"It hasn't been the most amazing year, but I've learned a lot about myself as a person away from Andrew Gaff the footballer," Gaff said.
"(I've had) a bit of perspective with my little boy arriving into the world mid-year.
"That's been amazing for me. I'm looking forward to my priorities shifting to dedicating all my time, energy, effort and love into my young family."
A courageous runner who pushed himself to the limit, he won the club champion award in the 2015 Grand Final season and finished top 10 a remarkable nine seasons running up to 2020, including eight times in the top five.
Regarded as the game's premier wingman through that period under coach Adam Simpson, he was All Australian in 2015 and 2018, and selected in the extended squad in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
Drafted with pick No.4 in the 2010 National Draft, he was shattered to miss the 2018 premiership due to suspension, ending that season with his future up in the air as a free agent.
He chose, however, to remain loyal to the Eagles and signed a unique contract with the club for a further two seasons with a trigger to extend by four more years. Gaff then became an Eagle for life when he triggered that extension late in 2020.
"Andrew has been an amazing contributor to our club for a decade and a half and we will take the opportunity to appropriately acknowledge him in the next two weeks," Eagles general manager of football Gavin Bell said.
"It will be sad to see one of our great players end his career, but Andrew leaves a lasting legacy. He is highly respected across the football club, not just within the playing group and the football department.
"Importantly our members and fans on both the east coast and in Perth will get the opportunity to farewell him in the next two weeks.
"There will be a large contingent of Melbourne-based members and supporters in Hobart and we’re hoping for close to a full house for our last home against Carlton."
