PORT Adelaide’s Justin Westhoff announced last week he would be retiring at season’s end after a 14-season career spanning over 280 games – currently second-most in Port Adelaide’s history.
Westhoff, originally from Eudunda, and then Tanunda, was taken at pick 71 in the 2006 national draft, and won the club’s Gavin Wanganeen medal for best under-21 player in his rookie year.
In 2018, Westhoff won the club’s John Cahill medal as best-and-fairest, but the 33-year-old said he’s “not getting any younger”.
“It just seems to be the right time in my life to move on and try some new things,” Westhoff said.
“Having a young family, I don’t want to miss much more of what my kids are doing, so it just felt like the right time.
“Obviously, I’m still looking forward to the rest of this season and hopefully some success at the end of it, but I’m happy with what I’ve done so far and with this being my last year.
“It goes quickly but there’s no way I would have believed you if back when I was drafted you would have told me I would still be around now and had the friendships I have made, so I feel pretty privileged.”