West Coast great Jeremy McGovern says he’s at peace with the decision to be medically retired and admits he knew “deep down” he had played his last game.

An emotional McGovern fronted both current and former teammates, staff and the media on Friday afternoon where he formally announced he had called time on his decorated career.

The five-time All-Australian was recommended to retire by the AFL’s concussion panel after the latest in a series of head knocks he sustained in the Eagles’ round eight loss to Melbourne.

In a statement, West Coast said McGovern accepted this after ‘extensive consultation with his family, club leaders and medical staff’.

McGovern fronted the panel in Melbourne last week and they had advised him to retire on medical grounds, ending his career after 197 games in blue and gold across 15 seasons.

“I’ve had a fair few weeks to think about it. It’s not the way I want to go out but I respect the decision and it’s the right decision as much as I hate to admit it,” McGovern said.

“As a player you want to keep playing forever but for me and my long-term health it’s definitely the right decision and call and I’m at peace with it because I respect the game, and the game demands a lot from players and in this instance it’s unlucky for me but at the same time there’s a beauty to it that it can get taken away at any time.

“I hope everyone cherishes it and understands what our players go through every time they run out on that footy field. It’s sad I’m not getting the fairytale and all of that but I’m at peace with it, it’s the right decision.”

McGovern was unsure how many concussions he’d sustained across his entire football journey and while he didn’t want to delve into any lingering affects on his body, the 33-year-old conceded he had some to work through.

“I’ve still got to work through a fair bit of that. I don’t want to sit up here the whole time and talk about that, I’d much rather talk about all the positive things in my career,” he said.

“I’ve got to work through a few things after we get all of this done and dusted, just to make sure that I am doing everything I can for my long-term health.

“More importantly just put me at a bit of peace of mind that I am doing everything we can.”

While the announcement comes eight days after he fronted the concussion panel, McGovern said he knew his time was up when he faced them.

“It didn’t become clear until I went to the panel. There was obviously a fair bit of a lag there... I was anxiously waiting, hoping for the best but I think deep down I thought this might be the decision,” he said.

“And like I said before, it’s a fair decision. I’ve had plenty of time to think about it and come to terms with it. It’s the decision and I respect it.”

It’s unsurprising that McGovern’s body has given out before his desire to play the game.

Drafted as a rookie out of Claremont in 2011, McGovern didn’t make an AFL appearance in his first three seasons and was banished from the club in 2013, told to lose weight and get fit.

He would debut the next year as a forward, but make his mark as a fearless defender who threw his body willingly and recklessly into contests without fear.

“I feel like that’s the way I play and that’s the way I was taught. That’s what’s expected I think, well that’s my belief anyway, of what the game expects and what the team expects and what the club expects is for players to give everything,” he said.

“Sometimes, especially being a backman, you’re going to get yourself in some tough situations but as long as they don’t score I’m normally alright with it. But if they score it hurts even more.

“It was just the way I was bought up to play the game, I wouldn’t change it.”

McGovern is famous for having played through injuries, with his remarkable 2018 grand final performance being even more remarkable considering he went into the game with a hip injury and internal bleeding.

He then broke his ribs during the match but still managed to take the famous mark which began the sequence which resulted in the goal to Dom Sheed that would hand the club it’s fourth premiership.

From 2020 to 2023 there were times when McGovern’s career was at a cross-roads. A series of injuries restricted him to only 46 games of a possible 85 matches.

But a trip to Qatar in after the 2023 season to visit high-profile sports physiotherapist Enda King to try to get his body right after hamstring injuries, broken ribs, back and adductor issues gave him one last incredible year.

McGovern’s 2024 season not only marked his fifth All-Australian selection — the first since 2019 — but ended with him claiming his maiden John Worsfold Medal as the club champion.

“I am proud of that (2024) season for sure. It was good to get back and string some footy together,” McGovern said.

“It’d been a long time since I’d strung a consistent season together so it was great to get back there and punch that full year out.

“That’s been a part of my journey, a part of my story unfortunately. It’s been a lot of injury, it’s something I’ve had to deal with and manage but it’s taught me heaps.

“It would’ve been nice to play more games, for sure, but that’s not my path and not my story. I’ve got to embrace that and enjoy that ... it was good to get back last year and play some good footy and I was looking forward to doing that for the next few years.”

McGovern may have been in the twilight of his career but he was firmly in the plans under Andrew McQualter having been re-elevated to vice-captain ahead of this season and re-signing for next year.

While the Albany-product won’t be a part of that next generation on the field, he can see the light at the end of the dark tunnel for the one-win Eagles.

“Things are starting to turn this year. It’s probably not the start that we wanted and it’s probably a little bit expected with Mini coming in, a new gameplan, new system, new players and a lot of change,” he said.

“It took us a little while to steady and I think the last five weeks probably barring the game on the weekend we were starting to make massive inroads. Not on the win-loss tally but the way we wanted to play.

“We’re still a little while off, that’s for sure. But I’m very positive of the direction we’re going and I’m flat I’m not going to be part of it on the footy field. I feel the way and the direction the club’s going is as positive as I’ve seen for a fair while.”