Some might see a win in Crawford’s first AFL Grand Final – against Geelong at the MCG on Saturday – as the perfect finale to his glittering career at the top level. But the man himself says he hasn’t given much thought to his future beyond 2008.
The 34-year-old, who has battled knee tendonitis throughout the year, has been forced to scale back his role this season and has often been used off the bench in matches.
This weekend he will play his 305th AFL match but he would not be drawn on whether it might be his last.
“To be honest I haven’t really thought about it a great deal,” Crawford said on the Nine Network's Footy Classified program.
“I’ve been trying to get my body right so that I was able to be part of the finals, which I was obviously hoping we were going to be a huge part of.
“And that’s been a bit of a struggle but the last two months I’ve been able to really get up and about and have a lot more confidence in the way I’m going about it.
“So that’s something I’m going to have to sit down with the coaches and work out whether or not they want me to continue on and go through that process once I get through the grand final.”
Asked whether a win against the Cats might sway him to hang up his boots, the 1999 Brownlow medalist was non-committal, but instead reiterated his enjoyment for the game in which he has dedicated the last 16 years of his life.
“I love it more than ever now,” Crawford said.
“Maybe it’s because I’ve sort of taken a deep breath and taken a step back.
“You know I love going to the football club. I love training, I love hanging around the guys.
“So for me to make a decision like that it’s going to be extremely tough but I really haven’t put a lot of thought into it … in a few weeks I will.”
The hard-running Hawk said coach Alastair Clarkson and his men had briefly enjoyed Saturday night’s preliminary final win over St Kilda but were quick to move on, all too aware that there was no point making the season’s biggest match only to lose.
“This is the greatest time in a player’s career, when you get a chance to run out in the last weekend in September … we’re all living a dream,” Crawford said.
“I’ve been dreaming about this for quite a long time, I’ve been playing for 17 years and it’s something that’s very dear to my heart – to be in a position to hopefully have a chance at having a crack at a premiership.”
