Carlton defender Liam Jones has announced his retirement from the AFL.
The Blues confirmed on Sunday that Jones has called time on his 161-game career, having also played with the Bulldogs during his 13-year stint in the league.
Jones' decision comes due to personal reasons, with the veteran defender and Carlton requesting respect and privacy on the call.
“I wish to announce my retirement from AFL football effective immediately,” Jones said in a club announcement.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank all who have supported me throughout my journey, both personally and professionally. I love the game and I’ll miss my teammates”
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“I hope that people respect my decision and privacy – neither myself or my management team will be making any further comment on the matter. ”
Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd thanked Jones for his service to the club, with the 30-year-old having joined the Blues ahead of the 2015 season to play a total of 95 games during his time at Princes Park.
“We have been in constant dialogue with Liam in recent months and allowing him the time he needed to make an informed decision regarding his playing career,” Lloyd said.
“Liam confirmed with us today that he has made the decision to retire, and his wish for the specific reasons of that decision to be kept private – as a club, we will be respecting that.”
“We thank Liam for his seven years of service to the Carlton Football Club, he earned every part of the 161 games he played, which included a complete positional transformation in the middle of his career, that could have only been possible with supreme dedication and hard work.”
Jones made his AFL debut against North Melbourne in 2010 and was originally recruited as a forward before emerging as a formidable key defender with the Blues.