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"Turned every stone": Nat Fyfe wraps up stellar AFL journey
Jaiden Sciberras • September 7th, 2025 11:34 am
AFL champion and Fremantle legend Nat Fyfe has officially retired, featuring in his last game at the top level in the Dockers’ heartbreaking one-point Elimination Final loss.
A two-time Brownlow Medallist, Fyfe’s career was far from linear, battling through numerous injuries and continuing to bounce back from adversity across his 248 games.
In what was his final attempt at winning the ultimate prize, Fyfe stated that the excruciating loss to the Suns is an appropriate way to bow out.
"I just think that's fitting – the game does not give up its rewards very easily and there's a lot more times you finish a season heartbroken than the opposite," Fyfe said on Saturday night.
“This game’s been very generous to me. To be able to get back and actually be involved in this game, this year. I'm really grateful I actually got the opportunity to play in another final again.”
Speaking on the decision to retire, Fyfe believes that although he never reached the pinnacle of club football, he gave all of himself to the club over a brilliant 16-year career.
"I think I came to a point last year where I felt like I’d turned every stone, given absolutely everything I could. Where the story went from there was out of my hands,” he said.
“Hopefully I get some closure and peace of mind that his part of my journey with Fremantle, I did everything that I could. I finish disappointed in some ways.
"I don’t think I needed anything else from the game. We all want to win premierships, but I do have some content that I tried everything and gave absolutely everything I could to the club and evolve myself along the way.
"In some ways, in my journey maybe it was more important not to win than to win."
Touching on his well-documented injury concerns over the years, Fyfe admitted that on numerous occasions he considered pulling the plug, knowing soundly that now is the right time to step away from the game.
“Multiple (times I considered walking away). When I injured myself before coming on the ground, that was a big one. Did the hamstring down at Peel, had a knee injury in the pre-season, rolled my ankle on Tuesday and hardly got up for this game.
"The game tried many different times to tell me that the end of the road was near and so I walk away knowing this is definitely the right time.”
Fremantle were just minutes away from advancing to a semi-final, before fellow retiree and Gold Coast legend David Swallow iced the game for the Suns at the death.
“It was somewhat fitting,” Fyfe said.
“He has been an amazing warrior for them, we started our journey together playing state 18’s footy, An important moment for him and their footy club.
“As heartbreaking as it was for us, that’s kind of what footy does and it gives them a special moment.”
A two-time Brownlow Medallist, three-time club best and fairest, three-time All-Australian, two-time AFLPA MVP and former club captain, Nat Fyfe leaves the game as a modern day legend and an all-time AFL great.
