Richmond legend Dustin Martin leads a crop of 27 players deciding to hang up the boots.
The 2024 group is littered with talent and skill, from star midfielders to elite goalkickers to dour defenders.
Whether the decision is forced upon the individuals through injury, personal circumstance or making way for the next generation, all players are bound by retirement at some stage.
Compiled of living legends and club icons, here's a full list of everyย AFL player that has hung up the boots this year...
Adelaide
Rory Sloane - The Crows' heart and soul player since being taken with Pick 44 in the 2008 National Draft. Sloane captained the proud club, played 255 games, claimed an All-Australian blazer and was one of the toughest players in the modern era. A nasty eye injury struck down his final season at AFL level.
Brisbane
Joe Daniher - Finishing the game on top of the mountain is no easy feat and has been achieved by very few players. Daniher was selected as a father-son pick in 2012 to Essendon, playing 108 games, kicking 191 goals and landing on the 2017 All-Australian team. A swift move to Brisbane following persistent injuries was a strike of genius, rarely missing a game. Adding another 96 matches and 204 goals, the 30-year-old shocked the AFL world by hanging up the boots at the peak of his powers.
Jarryd Lyons - A journeyman who eventually found his place in Brisbane, Lyons spent time at Adelaide (55 games) and Gold Coast (37) before making his way to the Lions. Struggling to cement his spot, the Victorian product found a pivotal role alongside Lachie Neale in the building Brisbane side when he entered the doors in 2019. Playing 102 games for the Lions, Lyons was a consistent contributor between 2019 and 2022 before falling out of favour the past two seasons. He was the sub in the 2023 grand final.
Carlton
N/A
Collingwood
Josh Carmichael - A career with so much hope cut short due to repeated concussions. Carmichael was a mid-season pick-up in 2022 and showed plenty in his eight AFL games, including kicking two goals as the sub in Round 19 that year against Essendon (think Jamie Elliott's goal after the siren).
Nathan Murphy - One of two sad endings at the Pies, but Murphy left a gaping hole that was bigger than first thought. The selfless defender was a critical part of Collingwood's resurgence under Craig McRae. Murphy's last game was the 2023 grand final, where he copped an incidental knock to the jaw, making it at least his 10th concussion. Played 57 AFL games.
Essendon
Dyson Heppell - A beacon of light during the dark times at Essendon. Heppell proved his loyalty time and time again throughout his 253 games after being selected with Pick 8 in the 2010 draft. Captained the Bombers for six (2017-2022) seasons, secured an All-Australian blazer (2014) and best and fairest in the same year. Heppell also won the Rising Star in 2011.
Jake Kelly - Was taken as a rookie by Adelaide but quickly turned into a reliable defender, playing 110 games across seven seasons. A decision to move back to their home state saw Kelly land at the Bombers, adding another 58 matches to his CV. He also featured in the 2017 grand final for the Crows.
Fremantle
Josh Corbett - Signed from VFL club Werribee by the Gold Coast, Corbett showed a bit across his 36 games at the Queensland club but quickly fell out of favour. The Dockers swooped to bolster their forward stocks, but the move didn't work out as well as first hoped, adding another five matches. However, a hip injury derailed his 2024 season and saw the end of the key forward.
Geelong
Tom Hawkins - Plenty can be said by the Cats' elite goalkicker, whose list of achievements is worth multiple lifetimes. Three premierships. 359 games, 796 goals. Five All-Australians. A Carji Greeves Medal and a Coleman Medal. Hawkins didn't leave much up to the imagination. He did it all.
Zach Tuohy - The most capped Irish player (topping Melbourne great Jim Stynes), Tuohy began his career at Carlton as a dashing defender, playing 120 games in six years. A move to Geelong witnessed more success, adding 168 matches to his career and a 2022 premiership medallion. Tuohy was originally taken as a project player through the rookie draft but proved to be a success story.
Gold Coast
Levi Casboult - Starting at the Blues, this key forward was a dominant figure in the front half, playing 154 games for 156 goals after being taken as a rookie ahead of the 2010 season. Falling behind the likes of Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, a switch to Gold Coast to assist in their key-forward stocks proved fruitful early on, kicking a career-high 35 goals in 2022. Casboult finished his career with 196 games and 215 majors.
Brandon Ellis - A highly touted youngster taken with Pick 15 in the 2011 draft by Richmond, Ellis lived up to his end of the bargain. Featuring in 176 games and two premierships (2017, 2019), Ellis was an impressive utility under Damien Hardwick. Seeking a fresh start, Ellis landed at the Suns, adding another 75 matches to his belt before hanging up the boots.
GWS
Adam Kennedy - An inaugural Giant, Kennedy was a stern defender who took the pleasure of locking down the game's best small forwards. The 32-year-old featured 153 times but ultimately was on the end of persistent injuries that resulted in 38 matches over the past five years.
Hawthorn
Chad Wingard - A top 10 pick for Port Adelaide in 2011, Wingard was one of the bright lights when he entered the league, picking up an All-Australian selection in his second season. He added a club best and fairest the same year (2013). A second All-Australian blazer in 2015 and 147 games for the Power was enough for the star forward to request a move to Hawthorn. Unfortunately, Wingard wasn't able to reach the same heights he achieved at the Power, struggling to make it through the season due to injury, which ultimately drew a close to a 218-game career.
Melbourne
Angus Brayshaw - A heartbreaking end to a glittering career, Brayshaw was a big talking point after he was medically retired following an incidental knock from Collingwood's Brayden Maynard during the 2023 finals series. Brayshaw was taken with Pick 3 in the 2014 National Draft and was one of the faces for Melbourne's resurgence and ultimate ending of the premiership drought in 2021. The 28-year-old played 167 games and proved to be a Mr Fix It for Simon Goodwin and will be sorely missed.
Ben Brown - Drafted by North Melbourne in 2013, Brown was a noted goalkicker and plied his craft at the elite level to good effect. The key forward played 130 games for the Kangaroos, kicking 287 goals in seven campaigns. Ahead of the 2021 season, Brown requested a trade to Melbourne and played a pivotal role in securing the premiership. However, injuries began to hamper the right-footer's career, limiting him to 13 outings in the past two years.
Lachie Hunter - A premiership player, Hunter was initially taken as a father-son at the Western Bulldogs in 2012. An integral cog in the club's premiership success in 2016, Hunter also added a Charles Sutton Medal (2018) to his CV. Following a turbulent 2022, Hunter sought a trade to Melbourne, where he added 26 games to his tally. However, he struggled in 2024 and subsequently announced his retirement from the game.
North Melbourne
Hugh Greenwood - Greenwood began at Adelaide after opting to pursue a career in the AFL that followed a handy basketball stint. The Tasmanian was traded to Gold Coast ahead of the 2020 season and lasted two years before North Melbourne swooped in to sign him as a delisted free agent. Greenwood finished his time in the AFL with 121 games and 52 goals.
Liam Shiels - For the second time, Shiels is featured in one of these articles. The former Hawk reunited with coach Alastair Clarkson at North Melbourne as a leadership figure. The premiership Hawk played 33 games for the Kangaroos across two seasons, finishing on 288 career matches.
Port Adelaide
Charlie Dixon - An inaugural Sun who finished his career at Alberton. Dixon began his career in fine fashion for the AFL's expansion team but realised his potential elsewhere after 65 games and 94 goals. Entering Port Adelaide, the key forward proved to be a focal point in attack as the club returned to preliminary final weekend often. Dixon kicked 263 goals from 156 games in the black and teal but struggled with injury and form, ultimately proving too much for his career.
Trent McKenzie - Another inaugural Sun, McKenzie was well-known for his massive left-foot kick. The Victorian played 106 games for Gold Coast before seeking opportunities at Port Adelaide. McKenzie added 59 matches to his belt but spent extensive time on the sidelines toward the end of his career due to injury and form.
Richmond
Dylan Grimes - The stoic defender wasn't as recognisable as Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin or Jack Riewoldt, but Grimes did his job better than most. The Northern Knights product played 234 games (kicking three goals) and was a pivotal cog in the three premierships. Grimes was also rewarded with an All-Australian selection in 2019 and captained the Tigers in 2022 and 2023. He also won the Jack Dyer Medal in 2021. Injuries in 2024 derailed his career, seen only five times throughout the year.
Dustin Martin - Arguably the greatest player to walk onto a football field. Martin's career began in 2010, and he immediately made an impact. Remaining loyal to Richmond throughout many rival pitches, the club benefitted in 2017 when it made its historic run to premiership glory. Martin won every individual award possible, including the Brownlow Medal and the first of his three Norm Smith Medals. Martin was a four-time All-Australian, two-time Richmond best and fairest winner and three-time premiership player. He just got to 300 AFL games after battling injuries over the past four seasons.
Sam Naismith - The ruckman spent 11 seasons in the AFL for 33 games. Beginning his time at the Swans, Naismith struggled to cement his spot in the side after he was taken as a rookie in 2013. Following the club's 2022 grand final loss, the Narrabri product spent a year at Port Melbourne in the VFL before the Tigers added him to their roster. Naismith played three games before officially calling time on his career.
Marlion Pickett - A mid-season pick in 2019 resulted in two grand final victories at the Tigers. Pickett was a smooth-moving midfielder who etched himself into folklore with a blind turn against GWS in the 2019 decider - his AFL debut. Since he played 91 games and added another premiership medallion in 2020. But calf injuries and a new direction for Richmond spelt time on his six-season career.
St Kilda
N/A
Sydneyย
Sam Reid - A late pick in the 2009 draft, Reid lived up to his end of the bargain. Playing 181 games (183 goals), the Swans forward was an impressive utility, featuring across multiple positions for John Longmire (and Paul Roos briefly). Reid secured a premiership medallion in 2012 but wasn't able to replicate the feeling in 2014 and 2022. Injuries kept the tall off the field since the 2022 decider and ultimately drew an end to his career.
West Coast
Andrew Gaff - A star winger for the Eagles after being taken with Pick 4 in the 2010 draft. Gaff was a two-time All-Australian (2015, 2018) and also won a John Worsfold Medal in 2015. The left-footer was an elite runner through his 280 games and proved to be an accumulator, averaging 26.4 disposals across his matches. Gaff rarely featured in 2024 and figured his time was up as the club was heading in a new direction.
Western Bulldogs
Alex Keath - With a background in cricket, Adelaide first took a punt on Keath in 2016 as a rookie. The key defender played 30 games across four seasons before making the switch to the Bulldogs. He also won a Showdown Medal in 2019. Keath added another 79 games but struggled to cement his spot in the senior side in 2024.
Aiden O'Driscoll - An unfortunate story as a pre-season knock saw the end of O'Driscoll's career (medically retired). Taken with Pick 55 in the 2023 National Draft, the youngster was unable to grace an AFL field, suffering head trauma from a serious incident.
