Brendan Lines 17 Sept, 2020

In an emotional day of farewells at Port Adelaide 280-game veteran Justin Westhoff has called his time at Alberton after a 14-year career with the club.

Westhoff notified his teammates on Thursday afternoon that he would not play on next year, but the 33-year old key-forward and utility reaffirmed his desire to contribute to team for the remainder of 2020.

“It’s probably been a one, two-month conversation that I’ve been having with my family, obviously Kenny (Hinkley) and the guys around the club, it’s probably no surprise to anyone this year is going to be the last year,

“I’ve probably approached it over the last year knowing that and it’s probably come to a head this week as I thought it was a good time to get it out in the open and enjoy the last period I’m here as a player.” he said.

Westhoff was drafted to the club in the 2006 AFL National Draft with pick 71, the same year as team mate Robbie Gray, and won the Gavin Wanganeen Medal as the best player under 21 in his first season.

 The 33-year-old is ranked second for AFL games played for the club, currently on 280 games, and won the 2018 John Cahill Medal as best and fairest.

Westhoff said there was ‘no pressure’ to come to the decision from the club despite not playing at the senior level since round 14 against Sydney this season.

The forward remains unfazed by the prospect of potentially not donning the boots for one last farewell game and has no regrets calling his time just 20 games shy of a millstone 300th.

 “I could be greedy but that’s never been my goal to play 300 games, I just wanted to play every game likes it’s my best game.

“To play in my first year and to go on that roller coaster of playing in a grand final an getting the taste of that has obviously probably set me up for the rest of my career and chasing that feeling again.”

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said his farewell to the ‘Big number 39’ and paid respect to the veteran’s time at the club.

“There’s a big month in front of this footy club and he’s taken himself out of the picture because the question started to come up, he’s the most selfless person you’ll meet in a football club.

“He’s the ultimate team person, he’s selfless, dependable, reliable, ‘whatever you need I’ll do’ and today is another example of that, he’s thinking about the team, considering what they have in front of them and hopefully he’s a part of that team.”

The revered forward drew much attention from his AFL competitors right from his debut year, being matched up on Geelong’s all-time great Full-back Matthew Scarlett in the 2007 Grand Final.

But Westhoff would rather be remembered by the Port Adelaide faithful as one of the best club men to have graced Alberton.

“I just wanted to be known as the ultimate team-man and someone you want to be walking out there with each game and someone who’s really reliable with doing the right thing and doing everything they can for winning games of footy for the club.”

Westhoff’s retirement comes as Port Adelaide announced midfielder Joe Atley, defender Riley Grundy and forwards Tobin Cox and Wylie Buzza would not have their contracts renewed for 2021.