Major announcement today - Kirk to retire

[Big Al]

Two of my Top 5 Swans of all time retiring in consecutive years. More tears at the end of the year.

Need to book the plane for Rd22 I think.

[BSA5]

You know, if we play two finals, we could get Kirky 200 consecutive games....

But Christ, wouldn't it be amazing to send Kirk and Roos off with a GF win? With a full squad (C.Bolts and Seaby are due to return before finals), who knows? That would be an absolutely fairytale. Makes me all gooey just thinking about it.

[BSA5]

Need to book the plane for Rd22 I think.

None of that talk. We'll still be around after the H&A season is done.

[swansrule100]

Two of my Top 5 Swans of all time retiring in consecutive years. More tears at the end of the year.

Need to book the plane for Rd22 I think.

he will have 3-4 games after rnd 22 tho :P

[Trickster]

None of that talk. We'll still be around after the H&A season is done.

But still it would be good to go to Kirk & Roos last H&A game

[mocaholic]

Let's hope 2010 ends up being a successful farewell to a player who has been the spirit of the team for nearly a decade. I think the timing was all about refocusing the team and getting us back to that win at all costs type of passion for the rest of the season.

Not our best player, but certainly close to our most important for a number of years, hopefuly he stays with the club in a coaching capacity, I think he could be an amazing coach.

As for the future, we rebuilt and went onto great things after Paul Kelly and I am sure we will again after Kirky, but always a strange feeling when you lose a true clubman.

Top two in the B&F six years running b/w 2003-8. Hard to understate his importance!

[j s]

Need to book the plane for Rd22 I think.

The problem is knowing what day to book for? Could be Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

R21 will be the local (SCG) farewell. R17 (MCG) for Victorians.

Of course we are still a finals prospect at this stage of the season so Sept 25th could be his swansong (literally I hope)

[Lucky Knickers]

What a legend! He is all class and all style. We are certainly a richer club for his involvement. Wish he could go on forever.

[Margie]

I'm so sad he's retiring, but I'm so happy that he won a Premiership during his playing days.

Brett Kirk is one impressive human being - one of our gutsiest players ever and a born leader.

I hope he has a role with the Swans for many years to come.

[Matty10]

There would hardly be a person around who does not love Brett Kirk - he has been an awesome and inspirational force for the Swans.

I nearly freaked out when I saw the headline as I thought that he had pulled the pin there and then. Hopefully everyone around the club can lift just that little bit extra for the rest of the year to give him the very best of send-offs. Both he and Roos deserve it.

[swansrule100]

sick of reading in reports and other forums etc that he was a gutsy player with rubbish skills. I think his stats show he was an excellent midfielder, who achieved elite level performance for quite a while. Its a bit of a perception hes a hack who tried hard, bit unfair

[Margie]

sick of reading in reports and other forums etc that he was a gutsy player with rubbish skills. I think his stats show he was an excellent midfielder, who achieved elite level performance for quite a while. Its a bit of a perception hes a hack who tried hard, bit unfair

They are either jealous or haven't watched enough Swans game. I'm sure every team would have loved Brett Kirk in their team.

[swansrule100]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=708773

[Big Al]

The problem is knowing what day to book for? Could be Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

R21 will be the local (SCG) farewell. R17 (MCG) for Victorians.

Of course we are still a finals prospect at this stage of the season so Sept 25th could be his swansong (literally I hope)

Any chance they can move that Rd22 game to the middle of November when I'll be holidaying on the Gold Coast. Not an unreasonable request I wouldn't have thought.

[mocaholic]

sick of reading in reports and other forums etc that he was a gutsy player with rubbish skills. I think his stats show he was an excellent midfielder, who achieved elite level performance for quite a while. Its a bit of a perception hes a hack who tried hard, bit unfair

i can't recall who said it, but somebody recently (Matthew Lloyd??) said that he was the best kick in the comp for efficiency because he knew his limitations and played to them. Tackling, extracting the pill from the pack, knowing where to go to get to the contest, actually getting to the next contest, putting the head over the ball, taking a crunch in a pack, not only tagging but defeating the tagee (?) and beating them, handballs to a free player, discipline to not get sucked in but to put things out of his mind and keep going, gut running, inability to accept defeat, demonstrate incredible leadership not only by example but being vocal (3/4 time 2005 prelim, 1/2 time 2006 GF anybody?), driving a club culture. These are huge skills in the game that most players don't all have. Nope, he can't kick laser-like 60m passes like Gilbee, or soar like Motlop (but didn't Kirky take a great one last year or 2008 over an Ade player?), but he well made up for it in other areas.

Much, MUCH more than a plodder who worked hard.