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Hasleby bows out his way

By Mr Dandalooa

Veteran Fremantle midfielder Paul Hasleby has announced his retirement from the AFL.

The four-time Ross Glendinning medallist’s contract with the Dockers expires at season’s end with doubt lingering whether he would be offered another deal.

The 29-year-old’s agent confirmed Hasleby will play out the Dockers’ finals campaign.

Anthony van der Wielen Hasleby agonised over whether to play on as Fremantle embark on an exciting future with a young team.

Hasleby is an All-Australian and says he will end his decorated career on his terms.

“I know where this club’s come from in the past and I certainly know where it’s going,” he said.

“I just thought for myself and my young family - we’ve got a baby due at the end of November - I think the time’s right to step aside and let the young guys come through and take it forward.

“It’s in a much better position than when I first arrived at the club and I think the guys that have been around can be very proud of that achievement, that we’ve taken it forward to this point.

“I’m very proud of the way I’m going to go out and I’m very happy with that.”

Hasleby was involved in protracted contract negotiations at the end of last season, but the club refused to offer him a two-year deal.

“I’m going out my way, which a lot of players don’t get the opportunity to do,” the champ said.

“It was always a possibility, next year. While I probably thought that I could play another year, I‘ve always prided myself on my performance and to keep it at a certain level for most of my career I’m very proud of.

“There’s every opportunity that might not have been there [next year] and the level might have dropped. I didn’t want to finish football that way, after seeing a lot of teammates and players around the league go a year too long.”

Hasleby began paying football in Northampton, which is a small town 470km north of Perth.

He represented WA in both the under 16s and under 18s national championships and won the Larke Medal for the best player at the 1999 under 18s carnival.

The 29-year-old played 18 games of league football with East Fremantle in the WAFL and in 1999 and won the Sharks’ best and fairest award.

That year he was drafted to the Dockers at pick 2 behind Josh Fraser who was selected by Collingwood.

Both the Pies and the Dockers had priority picks in the draft as they had won 5 or less games in the 1999 season.

Hasleby immediately showed why he was so highly regarded with 30 possessions in his debut game in round 1 2000.

He was awarded the AFL Rising Star nomination for that game.

His form continued throughout the year and he only missed the final round due to injury. 2001 was a disappointing year for Fremantle, with only two wins for the season, and Hasleby’s form also suffered.

However, Hasleby did not miss a game between 2002 and 2005, despite suffering at times from a hernia-like injury during the 2005 season.

In 2003 and 2004 he was ranked in the top 10 in the league in total disposals.

He suffered a season-ending knee injury in Fremantle’s first NAB Cup game of 2008 against West Coast at Subiaco Oval, tearing both his anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.

On August 23 this year Hasleby announced his retirement as a player in the AFL.

He has worn the number 4 guernsey in each season with Fremantle.