Pearce Hanley has called time on his Aussie rules career.
The 31-year-old from Ballaghaderreen told Gold Coast Suns teammates and staff of his decision on Wednesday.
"I feel good, it’s obviously been on my mind for a while and I made the decision a few days ago and haven’t had any regrets since, it’s obviously a big decision but I’m ready for it," said Hanley.
It will hit me over the next few weeks when I'm not around and I see the boys still playing, and even next year. I've got a lot of friends here, I've got a lot of friendships that mean a lot to me. So, I'll miss that.
Hanley played two games for the Mayo seniors before being recruited by the Brisbane Lions in 2007. He made his debut for the club in 2008 aged 18 and went on to play 129 games for them.
Hanley moved to the Suns in 2017. Injuries restricted him to just 40 games for the club in four seasons.
"I’m excited for the next phase in my life and looking forward to sinking my teeth into that," Hanley added.
It's said that Hanley is "looking forward to taking a closer interest in his business ventures".
