St Kilda ruckman Paddy Ryder has called time on his AFL career.
The decision will see Ryder hang up the boots after 281 games, a career that spanned across stints with Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda.
The East Fremantle product was drafted to the Bombers through the 2005 National Draft as the seventh overall selection, with a breakout performance on ANZAC Day in 2009 seeing the athletic forward transition into one of the competition's star ruckmen.
Ryder would play 170 games across nine years at Essendon, leaving the club at the end of the 2014 season amid the Bombers' infamous supplements saga.
A move to Port Adelaide would transpire for the agile tall, however, a year-long suspension due to the doping scandal would see Ryder ruled out of the 2016 season.
His comeback would aid the Power's push for a premiership in the coming years, with Ryder winning All-Australian and best and fairest honours in 2017.
After two more years with Port Adelaide, Ryder returned to Vicotria in a move to St Kilda ahead of the 2020 season.
Injuries would hamper his tenure at Moorabbin, with Ryder playing 38 games across three seasons in the red, white and black.
A calf issue in Round 18 this year forced an abrupt end to the veteran Saint's career, with Ryder informing teammates of his decision on Saturday.
โItโs been a really tough decision to come to, but I know itโs the right one,โ Ryder said, via the club's announcement.
โIโve been lucky to live out my childhood dream, playing at three great clubs with some amazing players, including my cousin Bradley.
โIโve loved the role itโs enabled me to play in the community and the platform itโs given me to help educate people about Indigenous culture.
โPlaying in games like the Dreamtime at the โG, and this year running out with six of my brother boys against Hawthorn โ theyโre the moments Iโll remember forever.
โI want to thank all my current and former teammates, coaches and staff from the Bombers, Power and the Saints, particularly Kevin Sheedy, Matthew Knights, Mark Thompson, James Hird, Ken Hinkley andย Brettย Ratten. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to do my favourite thing week in week out.
โTo my community, my family, especially my wife Jess and our children Liliana, Harlan and Sage, Iโm excited to share this next part of my life with you all.โ
His retirement will follow that of teammates Jarryn Geary, Dan Hannebery and Dean Kent in 2022.
St Kilda is yet to confirm Ryder's decision to retire, with an announcement expected.
