Wirrpanda calls it quits

RETIRING West Coast favourite David Wirrpanda says he stepped aside after 14-years, 227 games and a premiership to open up opportunities for the club's young players.

The decorated defender said he felt he could have played on next year, but the best thing to do for West Coast was to move on and fast-track the development of a younger player.

A mass of teammates, coaches, club officials and staff witnessed Wirrpanda's announcement on Tuesday afternoon.

The 30-year-old said he first contemplated retirement halfway through the season and the way West Coast's younger players performed in the later rounds made his decision clearer.

"To be honest I thought at the beginning of the year I was more of a chance of playing on, but the way the boys have come on towards the second half of the year really did open my eyes up to a lot of the younger blokes and the direction they're taking their footy," Wirrpanda said.

"With the young blokes like (Scott) Selwood coming through, (Tom) Swift, young (Shannon) Hurn, you've got a lot of younger players cementing their positions, especially in the backline.

"The best thing for them is to get game time, it'll just grow their footy. I thought if I keep playing I'd take that opportunity away from them.

"That's where I spoke to Woosha (coach John Worsfold) and I thought to myself, for this club to go further I have to sacrifice my position in order for the younger blokes to get more experience.

"I believed if I was in the way I would always get picked over one or two players."

Wirrpanda said he was very satisfied with what he'd achieved at West Coast, and his time at the club had been the most rewarding of his life up until the early hours of Saturday morning.

Wirrpanda missed West Coast's 80-point win over Richmond on Friday night when his partner went into labour with their first child.

He said he was disappointed to miss Chad Fletcher's farewell game, Quinten Lynch's 150th and fellow retiree Adam Hunter's on-ground goodbye, but said he now had bigger and better things to move onto.

"While all that was happening, I was witnessing my son coming into the world and all of a sudden the footy stuff went out the window," he said.

"Within two or three minutes I completely forgot about my footy world I suppose.

"I'll probably have a break for a couple of weeks and just get used to being a father.

"I'm pretty keen to sit back and watch the younger boys develop and watch them blossom into elite champion footballers for West Coast."

Wirrpanda said he was looking forward to taking up a full-time commitment to the foundation in his name that mentors indigenous youth, while a future at West Coast or in the media were also options.
"I'll leave this footy club with my head held up pretty high and I'd like to think it's not the end of David Wirrpanda being a part of West Coast and you never know, I might get a go on the board."

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http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/83987/default.aspx

One of the Eagles greats. All the best Wirra!

Truly, one of our greats. We love you Wirra. You were a legend, you still are.
A 2005 All Australian
A 2006 Premiership Player
227 games
A very deserving and inspirational player, the one thing about Wirra that I will not forget..his amazing pickups, probably the best in the league. No, he was not the fastest or the most talanted, but his pickups was something that made him standout.

A player that was in The west coast eagles "Team 20" a team of the best players from the start of the west coast eagles, named in 2006 - wirra was named in the backline. His ability to go forward, and play back - and to be dangerously good in both areas were outstanding.

LOVE YOU WIRRA!!

Well done Wirra, great career, he didn't need to step aside. Wirra was one of my favourites. All the best Wirra!

Yeah WCE could have done with him for another couple of years, with Hunter and Fletcher gone, there isn't really many seniors left in the Eagles lineup anymore. I reackon the could have done with Cousins, he is leading the Richmond youngsters very well,

Great career, really respect this bloke, and never really got as much credit as he deserved in his playing days, ad a great footy personality too, I remember when he was on Before the game once and they were talking about Nic Nat, and Wirra said something like, 'Yeah he's a great lad and he's gunna be a star, but at the same time I hate him cause he's blacker than me'. Legend.

A legend of the game, for sure. Wish him luck in the future

Goodby Wirra, what a great career you had

Well Done Wirra! One of my favs.

A handy SC and DT scorer as well