FREMANTLE defender Heath Black has announced his retirement from football after an injury-plagued season.

The 29-year-old chose the same day as former St Kilda teammate Robert Harvey to call it quits, but unlike veteran Harvey, Black won't grace an AFL field again this season.

The hard-nosed defender had shoulder surgery on Friday, ending his year, and has also struggled with a hip complaint throughout 2008, only playing six senior games. In his career he appeared 138 times for Fremantle and played 54 games for St Kilda.

"About a month ago I came to the realisation that I could no longer do this. At that time my shoulder was sore, my hips were a constant bugbear and at my age I just wasn’t prepared to overcome the hurdle again," Black said on Wednesday.

"It's been a hard decision but, through injuries over the last couple of years, it has become apparent to me that I can no longer play this game at the level required. I really appreciate how the club has handled the situation of me being in contract for next year."

The 2008 season was far from Black's best, or the brightest for the club, but the classy left-footer is hoping his teammates understand the decision.

"It has been a tough year for everyone here and we are wearing a little thin with four retirements now," he said.

"It's not a great thing bowing out as I'm a guy of mateship and don’t want to be seen to be jumping ship. But the time is right and I'm looking forward to sitting on the sidelines and watching these boys go about their stuff."

Black joins fellow Fremantle retirees Peter Bell, Matthew Carr and Shaun McManus this season as the club undergoes a rebuilding period.

Black was taken with Fremantle’s first selection (no. 12 overall) in the 1996 NAB AFL Draft. He played in a WAFL premiership side with South Fremantle in 1997, but never achieved the ultimate AFL success, despite playing in preliminary finals with St Kilda (2004) and Fremantle (2006).

"I look back on the two preliminary finals that I played in as the highlight, even though they were both losing," he said.

"To participate in finals is the number-one thing and to play in Freo's only preliminary final appearance is pretty special to me."

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey spent time as an assistant coach trying to stop Black and knows how dangerous he could be for an opposition. He said he has enjoyed being involved with Black in the twilight of the backman's career.

"Heath had that fierce desire that he always wanted to win. Sometimes he got over zealous with that, but they are the sort of characteristics you look for in a player," Harvey said.

"He was a guy that the opposition had to watch because of his kicking and finding space. Inside the club, he always tried to keep morale at its highest no matter the circumstances and on the field had the ability to win games. That's always a great compliment to give to player on retirement."

Black couldn’t resist revealing his larrikin side when discussing what he will most miss but, after doing work with a television station, he is keen to pursue a media career.

"What I'll miss is the locker room banter that goes on and I always enjoyed the Monday morning stories," he said.

"The camaraderie among the group is the one thing that I'll miss the most and that will be impossible to replace. Hopefully moving forward next year I will be on the other side of the fence in the media."

In his debut season in 1997, Black played 15 games and earned an AFL Rising Star nomination before injuries kept him to just one match in 1998.

After finishing runner-up to Peter Bell in the 2001 Doig Medal, Black headed back to Victoria to play with St Kilda, spending three seasons at Moorabbin and playing finals football in his last year.

He sought to be traded back to Fremantle at the end of 2004 and played every game in his first season back in the west.

Black had a delayed start to 2007 due to injury, but had a fine season when he did reach full fitness, winning the best clubman award.

Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich said knowing when to retire was always a difficult decision.

"It is never an easy decision for any player to reach," he said.

"It is important to acknowledge the contribution that Heath has made to the Fremantle Football Club and the sacrifices he had made as a footballer during his time at the club."

Rosich said although Black was contracted until the end of season 2009, the player and his management had reached an agreement with the club that was suitable to all parties.