Retiring Brisbane midfielder Jarryd Lyons is anticipating a career in the coaching ranks following his football playing days.
The former Sun and Crow wrapped up his career this season after 194 AFL games, 102 of which were at the Lions. A career forged from hard work on the training track and pre-season, according to Lyons, the Victorian-born midfielder admits there is still energy left in the tank for more high-quality football.
With his partner from South Australia, Lyons is eyeing a move interstate to continue playing football at a high standard, as well as aiming to start his post-football career.
"My VFL form spoke for itself," Lyons said on AFL Trade Radio.
"I was playing some great footy and could've fit in at another club and played well, and maybe could've gone somewhere now and gone on for another year. I think now, it's nice to call time when it's not quite the end, you've got a little bit left in the tank.
"I might go play some SANFL footy or go and enjoy some reasonably high level footy somewhere else and maybe move into a bit of coaching ranks somewhere if I can.
"I'm dealing with a few messages coming in, trying to work whether I'll go round again playing some sort of footy, which I think I will 'cause my body feels pretty good. I'll play a couple years of that, and I think coaching's probably calling my name at some stage, in some sort of role, so hopefully that develops into something as the years go on."
Lyons said he has enjoyed playing a mentor role as a veteran at Brisbane this year, assisting the younger brigade plying their trade in the VFL side.
"I just enjoyed my time in the VFL helping the young boys, try help us get as far as we could," Lyons said.
"I took that on as a role and became a bit of a mentor for a few young guys that were in and out of the side, and really enjoyed that as a nice way to go out."
Lyons has been viewed as one of the bargain gets of the modern era, having been delisted and walked through to the Lions as a free agent, despite averaging 24.6 disposals and over five tackles per game at Gold Coast.
The 32-year-old missed out on playing in this year's premiership side as he fell out of favour within the midfield group. Lyons said he was "proud" of his teammates for achieving the pinnacle of AFL success, reflecting that he had come to terms with his position in the side.
"We were speaking a lot throughout the year," Lyons noted on coach Chris Fagan's discussions with him on his role in the AFL team.
"The way the team's structured we sort of only play two inside mids, Lach and Dunks (Lachie Neale and Josh Dunkley) essentially... those boys just played every game.
"It was more of if they go down you're always a chance to come in, but if not we probably don't have a spot for you."
As Lyons prepares for life after football, he isn't the only retiree to set his sights on coaching. Former Adelaide teammate Rory Sloane has been approached by Melbourne to join the Demons in a coaching role to work alongside former Crow and current Melbourne head coach, Simon Goodwin. Another former player, 2017 retiree Bob Murphy, has too been linked to coaching at his playing club, the Western Bulldogs, after three seasons of a leadership role at Fremantle.