Dear Carlton members and supporters,

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you to announce my retirement from AFL football, effective immediately.

In recent times, I have found it increasingly hard to prepare, both physically and mentally, for the rigours of the sport. Being a representative of our football club demands an individual give nothing short of 100 per cent, and I’ve come to the realisation that I can no longer sustain the intensity required to play AFL.

When you’re in among the day-to-day routine of training, preparing and playing, it’s often difficult to step away and reflect upon all that has happened, but, since I made the decision to retire, I’ve had a chance to recall some of my achievements over my 10-year journey at the Blues. Experiences like going from a rookie-listed player to captaining the team on occasions and my tenure as vice-captain seem surreal, and I thank the Club for allowing me to represent it in those prestigious positions. Life Membership is something that I’m particularly proud of, and I know that inextricable link to the Carlton Football Club is only going to mean more and more as the years pass by.

I’ve been blessed to work with some incredible people who have each had an influence in shaping me into the man I am today. To the men who have served as senior coach throughout my career, Denis Pagan, Brett Ratten, Mick Malthouse, John Barker and Brendon Bolton, I thank you for everything you did for me.

To those assistant coaches that I’ve worked closely with over the years, in particular Gavin Crosisca, Brett Montgomery, Gavin Brown, Rob Wiley and Dale Amos, I thank you for investing the time and effort you have in me. We’ve shared some incredible memories together, and I can’t thank you enough for the support and guidance you have provided.

To the players I’ve run out with, thank you for your unwavering friendship. To know that I have people I can count on long after footy means the world to me. I’d especially like to thank the band of brothers who have lined up in defence with me throughout the years.

To my fiancée Georgie and my family, Jim, Sue, James, Will and Lucia, thank you for always believing in me. You’ve had to endure all of the ups and downs throughout the years, but your patience and unwavering support has kept me going. I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks also to my manager, Nigel Carmody.

I’m going to miss footy. Knowing I’ll never don the navy blue guernsey again is difficult to process, but I leave with a decade’s worth of memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The thrill of running out onto the MCG in front of 95,000 people is a rush that I know I’ll never be able to replicate, while the feeling after a win, being surrounded by family, teammates and support staff is something that I’ll look back upon fondly and, to a certain extent, wistfully.

The support the Carlton family continues to conjure week after week, year after year, is a true testament to you all. The boys appreciate it so much and, personally, it’s something I’ll never forget. I thank you for all the support and kindness you’ve shown me and I can’t wait to be able to sit with you in the years to come and cheer on future generations of Carlton players.

I hope that I’ve been able to do the guernsey proud.

Yours sincerely,

Michael Jamison