McDonald retires

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Melbourne skipper James McDonald has announced his retirement at season's end after being told by the club that he was not part of its on-field plans beyond 2010.

Speaking on Thursday afternoon just three days before playing his 250th game for the club, and six weeks before he turns 34, McDonald said that while he would like to have played on for one more year he understood the decision.

"It sits comfortably with me now and I understand the club's decision," McDonald said.

"I'll look back on my own career and I probably got my opportunity to get off the rookie list onto the senior list through a senior player in Paul Prymke retiring."

"At the end of the day, the club probably made the right decision and it's been a fantastic opportunity for me."

"When I first started out, I didn't think I'd be captaining the club and to be able to do that, it's been an honour for me and it's been a fantastic life experience for me to spend so many years here at the Melbourne Football Club."

For McDonald, who will reach his milestone against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the news that he would not be offered another contract did not come as a shock.

"It's always pretty tough, you don't know until you actually go through it," he added.

"It's something you love doing and it's just that realisation of letting go."

"I probably thought I could've got another year out, but at the end of the day, football clubs are all about winning premierships and hopefully they might win one next year, although they're probably not quite ready for that."

"(Coach) Dean (Bailey) has been up front about that when he first got to the club: you've got to put games into these young players and I think this year we've shown that."

Just the seventh Melbourne player in the history of the club to reach 250 games, McDonald is a dual club best and fairest winner and played for his country in International Rules in 2006 when he was also named All Australian.

Originally drafted by the club as a rookie in 1997, the year he made his debut, McDonald has been a fine servant for the Demons and Bailey admitted it was a tough decision to let him go.

"To get to where we want to go, unfortunately these types of decisions are made."

"James almost gets a bit embarrassed almost to be called a great player or legend of the football club."

"I'm not sure why it doesn't sit comfortably with him, but hopefully it does. He's been a great person and I don't think anyone can deny that."

President Jim Stynes said it will be a sad day when he retires.

"It's been decided with the club and James that it's time to retire," Stynes said.

"This man has given an awful lot to this great club."

"He was probably one of the most courageous players I ever played with, because he always put his head in the hole."

"Who would've thought he be one of only seven players to play (250 matches for Melbourne)."

"This week will be his 250th and it's a remarkable effort to get to where he's come from."

"He's probably the most respected player at the moment around this club. The young guys have had a lot to learn over the last couple of years from him."

Stynes hasn't given up hope of keeping McDonald at the club in some capacity when he hangs his boots up.

"Not many expected him to be the one, but it was clear within the ranks that James was by far the most respected in our club at the time," Stynes added of the decision to make McDonald captain when David Neitz retired.

"He's really taken it on and relished the opportunity and we're very, very proud of him."

"We'll talk about it from here, but we hope James stays with our club for many, many years and he'll have a very important role to play in the future of our football and where we're going and our success."

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