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AAP
Justin Chadwick

Eagles to give retiring Andrew Gaff two farewell games

Andrew Gaff will be given two farewell games at West Coast as he closes in on 300 games. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)

West Coast veteran Andrew Gaff has announced his AFL retirement, but the Eagles want to get him to the magical 300-match mark before sending him off into the sunset.

Gaff informed his teammates on Wednesday he will not continue his distinguished career into a 15th season.

The 32-year-old has battled a degenerative ankle injury over the past two years, the ailment severely impacting his output.

Gaff has spent most of this year in the WAFL, featuring just three times at AFL level. 

The hard-running wingman has notched 278 games for the Eagles since being snared with pick No.4 in the 2010 national draft.

Gaff has also played 18 pre-season games, one game for Victoria and one International Rules game against Ireland.

To be eligible for AFL life membership, a player needs to feature in 300 matches.

West Coast want to get Gaff over the line, confirming he will be selected for Saturday's AFL clash with North Melbourne in Hobart before having an emotional farewell next week at Optus Stadium against Carlton.

Jack Darling achieved the 300-match feat earlier this season.

"(I want to be remembered as) someone who always gave their absolute all when they were out there," Gaff said.

"I always walked off the ground pretty tired and pretty sore.

"I prided myself on how hard I worked and how much effort I gave."

Gaff achieved plenty during his career.

He was West Coast's 2015 club champion, the Eagles' 2016 player of the finals and a two-time All-Australian (2015, 2018).

But his infamous punch that broke Andrew Brayshaw's jaw in round, 20, 2018 cost Gaff the chance to feature in West Coast's premiership that year.

Gaff was desperate to taste the ultimate team success, but it wasn't to be with West Coast's fortunes slipping steadily after the grand-final win over Collingwood in 2018.

The veteran wingman, who is the all-time leading disposal winner for West Coast with 7158 possessions, expressed his desire to play on in 2025 earlier this year.

But he would play just one more game - a 19-disposal effort in a loss to North Melbourne - before he was dropped back to the WAFL.

"It hasn't been the most amazing year, but I've learned a lot about myself as a person away from Andrew Gaff the footballer," Gaff said.

"(I've had) a bit of perspective with my little boy arriving into the world mid-year.

"That's been amazing for me. I'm looking forward to my priorities shifting to dedicating all my time, energy, effort and love into my young family."

Assuming Gaff makes it through the upcoming games against North Melbourne and Carlton, he will finish on 280 matches for West Coast.

That will place him fourth on the club's all-time games played list, behind only Shannon Hurn (333), Darling (*295) and Dean Cox (290).

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