Former Wodonga Bulldog Jack Ziebell has announced he will hang up his boots at the end of the 2023 season.
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00:00 But thank you everyone for being here this morning.
00:02 I'd like to announce that this year will be my last
00:04 and I'll be retiring at the end of the season.
00:07 On one hand, it's always a hard decision
00:09 to give up the thing you love most,
00:11 but on the other, I think my body will thank me for it.
00:14 I've given everything I can for this footy club,
00:16 but I think the time is right for me to pass the baton
00:18 to you boys and take this club forward.
00:20 It's a bit of a surreal feeling,
00:23 one that I won't probably be able to fully reflect upon
00:26 until the final siren goes in my last game,
00:29 but I'd love to be able to share a little glimpse
00:31 of what this club means to me.
00:32 From arriving at Arden Street,
00:38 when, a few boys remember this,
00:40 when the resources were minimal,
00:41 no better than our local clubs back home
00:43 in mining Wodonga,
00:44 to the elite facilities we now call home,
00:47 from this time I walked into the place,
00:49 I felt right at home
00:50 and I've made some amazing friendships
00:52 and connections along the way.
00:53 One thing that has remained the same
00:57 throughout the entire 15 years of my career
01:00 is the character and care of the people
01:01 within the four walls of our club.
01:04 It's our difference, it always has been,
01:06 and it's those people that have shaped me,
01:07 not only as a footballer, but as a person.
01:10 This is a special place
01:11 and I'll always cherish being a part of this club.
01:14 Never in my wildest dreams
01:17 did I think I'd play over 275 AFL games
01:19 and be fortunate enough to captain our great club
01:21 for over six years.
01:22 To start and finish as a one club player
01:26 is something I'll be forever grateful for.
01:28 Someone once said to me,
01:30 it goes quickly and that it does.
01:32 But the one thing I wanted to achieve personally,
01:34 every single game I played
01:36 was to be the best teammate I could be
01:38 and someone my teammates could rely on.
01:39 And upon calling time,
01:42 you realise it's not about the personal accolades
01:45 or your win loss ratio,
01:46 it's about the relationships you make,
01:49 the friendships you have
01:51 and the memories you'll take
01:52 long after your footy career's over.
01:55 (sighs)
01:56 It's pretty good,
01:56 tidy one page before I started choking down, mate.
01:59 (laughs)
02:02 To all my teammates,
02:04 currently, past and present,
02:07 I'm gonna really cherish these last four weeks
02:10 being your teammate
02:11 and know you'll always have my support in the future.
02:14 Thank you to my coaches,
02:21 had a few over the journey,
02:22 so you've all had an immense impact on me
02:25 both as a person and as a player.
02:27 Thanks for backing me and believing in me.
02:31 To my family and friends,
02:32 especially my parents,
02:33 mum and dad,
02:34 the old boy's here today,
02:35 made the trip,
02:36 thanks for that, dad.
02:38 It takes a village
02:39 and I'm so appreciative of the unconditional support
02:42 and love over the journey.
02:43 To my wife, Sian and Pippa,
02:49 without question,
02:51 you've always put me and my career first.
02:53 Your sacrifice, love,
02:55 Sian's, your rose-colored glasses
02:57 have kept me balanced
02:58 and put life into perspective
02:59 during some very tough times.
03:01 I'm forever grateful
03:02 and I can't wait for our next chapter as a family.
03:05 And in closing,
03:06 when I look back and think of these years,
03:07 the memory I'll treasure most
03:08 is pulling on the North Melbourne jumper
03:10 with my teammates
03:11 and having my family and friends supporting me.
03:13 This is a special club, boys.
03:15 We're all very lucky to be a part of it,
03:19 so embrace it and enjoy it.
03:21 Thank you.
03:22 (audience applauding)
03:25 (audience applauding)
03:28 (audience applauding)
03:32 (audience applauding)
03:35 (audience applauding)
03:38 [APPLAUSE]
03:41 [BLANK_AUDIO]