North Melbourne's Ben Cunnington will play a farewell game before immediately retiring from the AFL.
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Cunnington, who hails from Princeton, was drafted by the Roos in 2009 with pick five. He will leave the game with 238 career appearances when he lines up against Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The contested midfielder, who played for both Warrnambool and District league club Timboon Demons and Hampden outfit Cobden before making it to the AFL, made an inspiration return to the top-level in August 2022 after battling two bouts of testicular cancer.
In emotional scenes on Tuesday morning, Cunnington, 32, told his teammates of his decision to call time on his distinguished AFL career. He said he couldn't be prouder of what he had achieved on-and-off the field throughout his 14-year career.
"I started as a shy, young country kid," he said. "Moving away from home wasn't easy for me but I can't believe I've lasted this long."
Cunnington thanked North Melbourne for helping him get the chance to play AFL again following his health battles, but felt he had "lost his hunger" once he returned and was ready to tackle the next phase of his life.
"My perspective in life was too great, then when I fell out of the senior team, I struggled to have the motivation and drive to get back in," he said. "That's when I knew it wasn't fair on myself or you guys that I continued on next year."
He thanked his teammates, coaches and the staff at the Arden Street-based club from across the years, as well as his family, including wife Belinda and children Xavier, Stella and Kobe.
"I genuinely couldn't be more excited for our next journey in life on the farm... we're finally going home," he said.
Cunnington kicked 10 goals in his Hampden league senior debut for Cobden as a 15-year-old.
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