On why he's retiring:
"It's time to move on. I know my time is up – I think the worst thing you can do is lie to yourself and try and convince yourself it's not, when deep down, you know that it is.
"I wasn't able to do things I used to be able to do. The game sped up [in his year off] – it used to be slow for me – so that was my initial inkling it was moving a bit quicker.
"In the last couple of weeks I've just felt it was something I was thinking about a lot, and especially after last week's game, I said to John [Worsfold] on Monday, 'This is what I feel, rather than wait until the end of the year, I know this is going to be my last year and I'd rather enjoy it than internalise things and worry about it'.
"It makes however long I've got left more enjoyable.
"I think there's relief [the decision is made]. When you make the decision and you know, it's better to come out and publicly say it rather than holding it in.
"I'm really comfortable that I'm making absolutely the right decision. I'm happy with that, and a lot of people don't get the opportunity to do that, so to be able to do that in such a competitive business is a nice thing."
On how he feels about the game:
"I'm content with my career.
"People talk about how do you feel about the game and things like that, and I guess it's a little bit like you're in a relationship and your partner cheats on you; you might get back together but you might not love her the same way.
"That's a little bit how I feel about it – I love the game, but it doesn't feel the same to me as it did.
"You move on. Life is too short. It just doesn't feel the same, and that is how it feels to me.
"There's hurt associated with it. When you get inflicted with that sort of pain, invariably the way you feel about something changes, and that is how it feels to me."
On dealing with the WADA scandal and suspension:
"The most difficult time was certainly after the WADA finding, having to be with teammates and go through that.
"The most difficult part of it is that it ends up changing you as a person, and that is something I didn't enjoy. I'm a pretty private person.
"You start to over-analyse things, and having such scrutiny on you and being in such a big storm all the time – everyday life changes, and when your life changes, then habitually then you start to change who you are and how you act and interact.
"That was the thing that changed for me, socialising, and the kind of person you are. When that starts to change, that becomes more significant than an event.
"Given the circumstances and the nature of the story and how it took the path it did, it meant there was such hysteria attached to it and people were trying to form opinions off news headlines, and that's a difficult thing to do.
"I can understand why people had such anger towards the circumstances, but when you're in the middle of it and you're trying to live your life through it, it was very difficult.
"When you look at it from the sense that you only have 15 years in a career and almost a third of them are tied up in one event … it is a big part of your career and it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth."
On handing back the Brownlow Medal:
"The medal didn't really matter to me. It wasn't important. It was the way in which I played – the medal wasn't that significant.
"It was what the people I care about think, what was their opinion of it? What was my own feeling about it? That was what was important to me, and still is.
"The people whose opinion I value and who know me the best, they haven't changed because I had to hand it back.
"The last time I saw it was in 2012. I gave it to my parents so I assume they sorted it out."
On why he came back after the WADA suspension:
"I think it was really important. I had some discussions with teammates in different parts of the world, and what it really came down to was that it was a sense of finishing on my own terms and walking away, and coming back and seeing what the club had become as well.
"I really appreciated and really enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm of these young guys, how it's changed, what they've done, what John's been able to do.
"The supporters, how they've enjoyed having us return … I always focused on leaving the club in a better place than I found it, and that was really important to me and despite everything that happened, I feel like the club is in that position now.
"That was always something that was really valuable to me.
"The part I really enjoyed [when I came back] was interacting again and having that locker room environment and being around teammates. That has been the most fun I've had in awhile."
On what he hopes his legacy is:
"My parents have always displayed certain behaviour, and in a position of leadership, I've always tried to emulate a way of behaving.
"I think that my teammates and the people around me and when I interact with people, they've picked that up.
"That's important to me. Despite everything you do as a player and on the field, there's always a way of behaving, and I feel like that will be part of my legacy.
"You see people for who they really are when they're under pressure, and I don't think I behaved any differently from a core value [sense] when under real pressure.
"Leadership is challenging but I enjoyed it. I find that it's a powerful thing to have people follow you, and you have to take it with great responsibility, but it pays you back. It makes things difficult at times and you have to make a lot of sacrifices … but when you know someone respects you, it's a wonderful feeling."
On telling his teammates:
"It was difficult. I've had to have some difficult chats with my teammates over a period of time.
"It is sad, and that closeness … I always took the responsibility of leadership very seriously and I always tried to emulate a certain way of behaving, and I hope they have felt that.
"I think they have, and when you have that kind of influence on people, it's very difficult to say goodbye to them.
"I will miss the friendships. The stuff I miss now is chatting and talking, it was the thing I've always loved most about it, the camaraderie and mateship and spending time with other guys, and living out a dream.
"It was a dream to play for Essendon, and I consider myself very fortunate to be able to do that."
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On what's next:
"I will be heading back to New York [to his coffee shop]. We're actually rated the fourth-best brunch spot in Manhattan – it's called 'Hole In The Wall' for anyone who doesn't know – but I think I'm going to go over there and stuff it all up.
"I've got a couple of businesses over there [in New York]; a gym is opening up and also a property and buyers' advocacy business here as well.
"I'll be spending a bit of time here and there.
"I really enjoyed being part of the group and teaching and helping … maybe there is some capacity [to return to the game], but I've also seen the world in a much larger light, and being overseas and what the challenges are and the life you can you live … I gravitate to that as well."
