Richmond defender Nathan Broad will finish up at the club at the end of the year.
The 33-year-old has announced he will retire or play on for one season at a club in Perth, either way he and his young family will be returning to his native state of Western Australia.
A three-time premiership player for the Tigers, Broad said in an interview with Code Sports that he wishes he could stay at the club "forever".
“I'm going to hang them up at the end of the year," he said. "I told the club that when I signed the contract and said that will be it. I want to go home. My family aren't getting younger and my wife (Tayla) is from Perth too and we have got a two-and-a-half-year-old (Samara) and we want to have another one. So that's it.
“Ideally, I would stick around Richmond forever and coach. That would be it, but when you get to my age it's not about me anymore. I have been selfish for six or seven years, I have been very selfish. I had my fun and now it's time to give back to my family and my wife and daughter. It's going to be sad but I have had a pretty good run at it.”
A mature-age recruit, Broad was selected with pick 67 in the 2015 AFL Draft after impressing for Swan Districts in the WAFL as a 22-year-old.
Broad's former assistant coach Andrew McQualter is now the senior coach at West Coast, providing a clear path for the defender to return home and play one season in blue and gold. But he said he hasn't had any contact with McQualter about a potential move.
“Nah, (McQualter) hasn't hit me up at all," he said. "I just want to keep putting my 110 per cent effort into this year and this football club and I am going to give it everything I have got. Blood, sweat and tears until this body gives up or it's Round 24. And I will just try to keep playing good footy and then play my role in the team.
“I don't think (I will look to play in Perth). Maybe if it's one year and then two years coaching.
“If something came my way I would look at it but I would love to get into coaching. I have had a good look at it. I love making young men better and I love trying to grow every day. So if there is something like that, maybe I would look at it, but I am just happy to coach too.”
The Eagles will likely target Broad, even if it is just to play for one season before moving into a coaching role, given their lack of experience and talent in defence.
