Adelaide
Retired: Ben Rutten
Possible: James Podsiadly
Ben ‘The Truck’ Rutten has already decided he won’t go on but it will be interesting to see what Podsiadly does. He may be 32 but J-Pod’s been fantastic for the Crows playing as a swing man. If he’s not scoring or setting up goals for others – as he did brilliantly in Friday night’s loss to Hawthorn – he’s sent down back to be the spare man in defence late in games. With his current form, Podsiadly could easily go on next year as part of a superb Adelaide forward line also featuring Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins.
Brisbane
Retired: Jonathan Brown (retired)
Possible: Ash McGrath, Daniel Merrett, Brent Staker
Concussion forced Jono Brown into an early retirement but at least he gave us some of the best images o the year as he went out, celebrating wildly with a couple of party pies as the Lions beat North a few weeks back.
Along with Brown, veterans Ash McGrath and Brent Staker could potentially also pull the pin after injuries have severely derailed their 2014 campaigns. Daniel Merrett will be 30 when next season starts and isn’t getting any younger either. But with the Lions desperately short of experience, some of these players may stay on.
Carlton
Retired: Heath Scotland, Nick Duigan Judd, Waite, Matthew Kreuzer (25)
Possible: Chris Judd, Jarrad Waite, Matthew Kreuzer
Heath Scotland is gone – probably to join the Fire Brigade – and Nick Duigan has already pulled the pin on his career. But with Carlton entering a rebuilding phase, the big question is what will happen with dual Brownlow medallist Judd? Judd has plenty of interests outside footy and the time may be right for him to go, especially as even Mick Malthouse seems to be giving him a gentle nudge. That being said, his form’s been pretty good since recovering from a hamstring injury.
Jarrad Waite is another interesting one. Waite could potentially be traded as the Blues seem to be developing a younger forward line of Lachie Henderson, Levi Casboult and Simon White. But at 31 and with his history of injuries and brain snaps, would any other club take a punt on Waite? He can be very, very good but Malthouse appears to have lost patience with him and he’s been dropped twice this year.
And, then we get to Kreuzer. This one may be a little farfetched but Kreuzer has never quite lived up to his potential and a season off with a foot injury may have made him think. It’s very unlikely Kreuzer could pull the pin, but others have done so early.
Collingwood
Possible: Luke Ball, Nick Maxwell, Marty Clarke, Quinten Lynch, Ben Hudson
Questions are starting to emerge as to whether Luke Ball goes on for another season with his battered body. Magpie fans will be hoping he does as he’s generally the one to add some composure through the middle of the ground.
Former skipper Nick Maxwell considered retiring at the end of last year but has come back fitter than ever and despite a recent calf problem has been in career-best form.
Yet veterans Marty Clarke and Quinten Lynch look likely to either pull the pin or be delisted, while who knows what will happen with Ben Hudson, whose career just can’t be killed?
Essendon
Possible: Dustin Fletcher, Paul Chapman
Famously omitted for the two-point win over Port Adelaide last weekend, 39-year-old Fletcher’s place in the team is suddenly not the given it once was. Coach Mark Thompson has even said the next seven weeks will determine whether Fletcher goes on.
As for Chapman, the former Cat booted nine goals in the first three rounds and it looked like the Bombers had the veteran recruit of the season on their hands. But since then, injury has hit him a little and he’s played just nine games for three goals. Chapman is still getting his possessions but a lacklustre performance against Geelong a few weeks ago may be an indicator his time is done.
Fremantle
Possible: Kepler Bradley, Luke McPharlin
Bradley will only be 29 when next season starts but he hasn’t played since Round 5 2013 when injury cut him down. If he doesn’t retire, there’s a chance he could be delisted.
As for McPharlin, he remains one of the best defenders in the game but injury is also catching up with him. If Fremantle win their first flag this year, what better note to go out on?
Geelong
Possible: Corey Enright
Enright will be 33 in September but he doesn’t seem to be slowing down so much. His average of 18.7 possessions per game is a little down on his career average of 20.93 but he’s also averaged more tackles this year than he has in his career.
Gold Coast
Possible: Matthew Warnock, Nathan Bock
After a string of issues with injury and ASADA it would be surprising if Bock was at Gold Coast next season. Warnock too may look to pull the pin after being restricted to just five games so far this year.
GWS
Possible: Josh Hunt
Josh Hunt will be 33 when next season starts so he may be looking to end his career this year. He’s managed just 10 games for his new club this season and averaged just a little over 14 possessions per game. He has added experience to the Giants backline, but next year may be a step too far.
Hawthorn
Possible: Brad Sewell, Brian Lake, David Hale
Sewell had a slow start to this year but had worked himself into some of his best form before injury cut him down against North Melbourne. With his body increasingly struggling, there’s a chance he could retire this season, especially if Hawthorn win another flag.
Lake is another who looks likely to finish his career. Struck down by suspension and injury so far this year, Lake was back in the team and was performing a desperately needed role as another tall back for the Hawks. But his brain snap against North Melbourne and choke hold on Drew Petrie shows he may be coming to the end. Lake had plenty of brain snaps for the Dogs, though, and recovered to win a Norm Smith medal last year, but this time around, he may have done his dash.
And Hale too, could be one to finish up. The Hawks have several good ruck options now with Jon Ceglar taking his game to another notch as he teams up with Ben McEvoy and Luke Lowden. Hale was dropped for McEvoy against the Crows and his time may be done.
Melbourne
Retired: Mitch Clark
Possible: Shannon Byrnes, Mark Jamar
Mitch Clark brought a premature end to his career as depression caught up with him. Other veteran Demons likely to pull the pin are Byrnes, who’s struggled badly with injury this season and maybe ruckman Jamar. The Big Russian has been good under Paul Roos this season, so he may go one in 2015.
North Melbourne
Possible: Michael Firrito
The man known as Spud signed a one-year contract extension at the end of last season in a bid to prove the doubters wrong. But he’s managed just 11 games in 2014, although one of them was a 24-touch effort against Melbourne.
Port Adelaide
Possible: Dom Cassisi
Father time seems to be catching up with former Port skipper Dom Cassisi who found himself dropped from the side after the club’s two-point loss to Essendon. He’s been a warrior for many years and even reinvented himself as a rebounding half-back last season, but this may still be his last campaign.
Richmond
Possible: Jake King, Chris Newman, Nathan Foley
Jake King has struggled with injury all year. Even if he doesn’t retire there’s a chance he could simply be delisted as the club presumably hates the pressure that comes on it every time he poses in happy snaps with bikie Toby Mitchell.
Chris Newman has been a fantastic warrior for the club too, but with the club dropping out of the finals race this season and the former skipper struggling with injury, he may be done as well.
Foley is the interesting one. Robbed of a glittering career by injury, the midfielder occasionally shows glimpses of what may have been. But he also often finds himself being played as the sub and not having a huge influence on games.
St Kilda
Possible: Lenny Hayes, Clint Jones, Sam Fisher, Adam Schneider
There are plenty of veterans at the Saints who may finish up this season, while questions linger over whether Nick Riewoldt will ask for a trade to another club.
The Saints, though, will be hoping Hayes goes on as he remains one of their best mids, but time and injury seems to be catching up with Jones, Fisher and Schneider big time.
Sydney
Possible: Ryan O’Keefe, Lewis Roberts-Thomson
Having been famously left out of the side for the Round 1 clash with GWS, 2012 Norm Smith medallist Ryan O’Keefe hasn’t been able to break back in with any consistency. O’Keefe has managed just four games this season for an average 11 possessions, far down on his usual returns. He may be one of the club’s greatest players, along with Lewis Roberts-Thomson, but time may be up on their careers.
West Coast
Retired: Darren Glass
Possible: Dean Cox, Beau Waters, Sam Butler
Skipper Darren Glass has already pulled the pin on a superb career that should be remembered for the way he helped hold the club together as the fallout from Chris Judd’s departure and Ben Cousins’ issues hit them hard.
Fellow veterans Dean Cox and Sam Butler appear likely to follow him. Cox has still be a strong performer this season but hasn’t hit the heights of yesteryear and it may be time for the Eagles to turn to Scott Lycett on a full-time basis, especially if they want to keep him out of Port Adelaide’s hands. Beau Waters has missed all year with injury and while the heart will want to go on, he may not be quite up to it next season as the Eagles look to rebuild, while Sam Butler remains in that category as well.
Western Bulldogs
Retired: Tom Williams
Possible: Daniel Giansiracusa, Matt Boyd, Brett Goodes
A hamstring injury last week proved the last straw for the desperately unlucky Williams, who showed glimpses of real talent when he actually made it out on the park.
Daniel Giansiracusa too, looks likely to finish up this season. Superb as a substitute last season, Gia hasn’t quite had the same impact in 2014 and frustration seems to be creeping into his game if a recent suspension is anything to go by. Former skipper Matt Boyd and latecomer Brett Goodes are also the wrong side of 30 and may finish up at the end of the year too.