Lappin announces retirement from AFL
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End of an era ... Nigel Lappin has played his last game of AFL football (Getty Images: Ryan Pierse)
Brisbane Lions triple-premiership player Nigel Lappin has announced his retirement after failing to overcome a series of injuries.
The 279-game veteran announced at club headquarters in Brisbane today he would not be playing on next season.
The 32-year-old has been plagued by injuries over the past three years, and his latest attempt to make a comeback stalled on Friday when he injured his ankle at training, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
He has been sidelined since round five of this season with an achilles injury and said it was a frustrating way to finish his career.
"That's bitterly disappointing for me," he said.
"You may look back in a few years and it mightn't matter but at the moment I'm really frustrated this season hasn't worked out for me.
"Every footballer would like the fairytale ending, but most people retire because they can either no longer do it physically or mentally and for me it's a bit of both.
"I've been a little bit frustrated obviously that I haven't been able to get the achilles right.
"But that's from not lack of trying, it's probably over-trying that's probably cost me more than anything, and that's always been me really, you sort of live and die by the sword."
Lions coach Leigh Matthews praised Lappin as a huge asset to the side.
"As great a reputation as Nigel has as a player I think he's an even better player than his reputation," he said.
"He obviously wasn't a limelight seeker, so he sort of was a low-profile player. And sometimes high profile and ability get confused and they're different things altogether and that makes him a really, really valuable package."
Lappin made his debut with the Brisbane Bears in 1993, and was an integral member of the Lions premiership sides between 2001 and 2003, making up one-quarter of the side's "Fab four" midfield.
His injury problems began in 2006, when a severe pre-season ankle injury prevented the four-time All-Australian from playing a single AFL game that season.
He bounced back to record career-best numbers in 18 games in 2007 with 26.8 possessions per game.
Lappin won the club best and fairest award in 2004, when the Lions narrowly missed out on a fourth consecutive flag after falling to Port Adelaide in the grand final.
