North Melbourne defender Sam Wright has called time on his AFL career, after 136 games spanning 11 seasons.

Wright was taken with the 27th pick in the 2008 National Draft, before making his debut in round eight, 2009.

The defender last played for North Melbourne in round eight this season against Geelong, with injuries preventing him from pulling on the blue and white one last time.

โ€œI guess the decisionโ€™s been coming for a long time,โ€ Wright told the club's website.

โ€œAfter the last surgery (on his ankle) I probably knew that I wasnโ€™t going to go around next year, and the advice Iโ€™d be given was that Iโ€™d probably need to start focusing on life after footy and living a healthy life.

โ€œMe being the stubborn person I am, I wanted to get out and play one more game, but itโ€™s just become pretty evident in the last month that my body just wonโ€™t allow me to do that.

โ€œI canโ€™t train and I canโ€™t play at a high enough level to get back and play AFL.โ€

Wright averaged 15.6 disposals, 2.3 rebound 50s and 4.5 marks per game across his career.

He'll represent North Melbourne for the last time this Saturday, when he faces off against Box Hill in the VFL.