Latest news with #ShowdownMedal
7NEWS
05-08-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Port Adelaide great Travis Boak retires despite chance to make AFL history: ‘The right time'
Beloved Port Adelaide great Travis Boak has decided against extending his glittering AFL career into a 20th season and will retire at the end of 2025. The 384-game veteran announced his retirement on Tuesday and will finish his career alongside coach Ken Hinkley. Boak had overcome injury in May to enter a rich vein of form and make a case for extending his career. Another season would have given the 37-year-old the chance to become the seventh player to reach 400 AFL/VFL games, but the temptation was easily resisted. 'After 19 years at AFL level, it feels like now is the right time to finish my career,' Boak said in a club statement. 'I'm incredibly grateful to have had the career I've had, and at a club I truly love. 'Being a one-club player is really special to me, and it's certainly not lost on me how lucky I have been.' Drafted with pick No.5 in 2006, Boak ends his AFL career as the club's all-time games record-holder, with all 384 matches played for Port Adelaide. He is the club's longest-serving captain (2013-18), a three-time All-Australian, a three-time Showdown Medal winner and a two-time club best-and-fairest winner. The veteran midfielder also represented Australia in the 2014 and 2017 International Rules Series against Ireland. Lauded as one of the greatest Port Adelaide players, Boak famously turned his back on rival offers in 2012 to remain committed to the club amid turmoil. Then, Port were propped up by AFL funds, had just won five games for the year, and sacked coach Matthew Primus after just three victories in 2011. Perennial powerhouse Geelong were keen to snare Boak, a Geelong Falcons under-18 product, but he stayed at the Power. 'The highs and lows are what makes footy exciting, and those moments are what connect a group in a significant and authentic way,' Boak said. 'Port Adelaide fans are loud, passionate and supportive. They demand success. 'And while I haven't been able to help deliver them an elusive second AFL premiership, I can't wait to sit back and watch on as this club does that for them. 'I'll forever be a Port Adelaide person, and I'll forever be grateful for this part of my life.' Hinkley, who will hand over to assistant coach Josh Carr at the end of the season, lauded Boak for his loyalty during the club's 'darkest days'. 'Coaching Travis has been one of the great privileges of my career,' Hinkley said. 'Travis has been the heartbeat of this football club for 19 seasons. 'When I think about Trav, I don't just see a great player, I see a person and leader who embodies everything Port Adelaide stands for - someone who is selfless, caring, courageous and never satisfied. 'He chose to make his stand with Port Adelaide at the end of 2012 when it mattered most, and we'll all be forever grateful for his commitment to our club.'
Perth Now
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
'Now is the right time': Port champion Boak retires
Beloved Port Adelaide great Travis Boak has decided against extending his glittering AFL career into a 20th season and will retire at the end of 2025. The 384-game veteran announced his retirement on Tuesday and will finish his career alongside coach Ken Hinkley. Boak had overcome injury in May to enter a rich vein of form and make a case for extending his career. Another season would have given the 37-year-old the chance to become the seventh player to reach 400 AFL/VFL games, but the temptation was easily resisted. "After 19 years at AFL level, it feels like now is the right time to finish my career," Boak said in a club statement. "I'm incredibly grateful to have had the career I've had, and at a club I truly love. "Being a one-club player is really special to me, and it's certainly not lost on me how lucky I have been." Drafted with pick No.5 in 2006, Boak ends his AFL career as the club's all-time games record-holder, with all 384 matches played for Port Adelaide. He is the club's longest-serving captain (2013-18), a three-time All-Australian, a three-time Showdown Medal winner and a two-time club best-and-fairest winner. The veteran midfielder also represented Australia in the 2014 and 2017 International Rules Series against Ireland. Lauded as one of the greatest Port Adelaide players, Boak famously turned his back on rival offers in 2012 to remain committed to the club amid turmoil. Then, Port were propped up by AFL funds, had just won five games for the year, and sacked coach Matthew Primus after just three victories in 2011. Perennial powerhouse Geelong were keen to snare Boak, a Geelong Falcons under-18 product, but he stayed at the Power. "The highs and lows are what makes footy exciting, and those moments are what connect a group in a significant and authentic way," Boak said. "Port Adelaide fans are loud, passionate and supportive. They demand success. "And while I haven't been able to help deliver them an elusive second AFL premiership, I can't wait to sit back and watch on as this club does that for them. "I'll forever be a Port Adelaide person, and I'll forever be grateful for this part of my life." Hinkley, who will hand over to assistant coach Josh Carr at the end of the season, lauded Boak for his loyalty during the club's "darkest days". "Coaching Travis has been one of the great privileges of my career," Hinkley said. "Travis has been the heartbeat of this football club for 19 seasons. "When I think about Trav, I don't just see a great player, I see a person and leader who embodies everything Port Adelaide stands for - someone who is selfless, caring, courageous and never satisfied. "He chose to make his stand with Port Adelaide at the end of 2012 when it mattered most, and we'll all be forever grateful for his commitment to our club."
7NEWS
06-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Calls come for Marcus Ashcroft and Brett Kirk Medals to be renamed amid ‘unfair advantage'
The Agenda Setters host Craig Hutchison has called for the Marcus Ashcroft Medal with an 'unfair advantage' given to Brisbane. The medal is given to the best player on the ground in the QClash between the Lions and Suns. It is named after Marcus Ashcroft, who grew up on the Gold Coast before going on to play 318 games for Brisbane, including three premierships. Post-AFL career, Ashcroft spent close to 10 years at the Suns, first as an assistant coach in 2008 before being promoted to football manager the following year ahead of the Suns' first season in 2011. Ashcroft now has two sons, Will and Levi, who play for the Lions. The brothers were among the Lions' best in Sunday night's win over the Suns, racking up a staggering 63 possessions between them. Will won the medal named after his dad, but Hutchison believes the siblings have extra motivation to perform well. He also noted that best on ground in the Sydney derby gets a medal named after Brett Kirk, who is currently an assistant coach at the Swans. 'Marcus Ashcroft, great respect in the game, but in reality he's got two sons who shared 63 possession who will fight to try to win the dad's medal in their name. It is bordering on an unfair advantage for Brisbane, the extra motivation it drives,' he said on The Agenda Setters. 'Brett Kirk is an assistant coach (at Sydney) giving out this one in the Swans-Giants game. Is it time that both clubs moved to a broader narrative.' Fellow panellist Kane Cornes agreed. 'That might be one of your great takes. That is a good take. They have got to change the name, you can't have that as the Ashcroft and Kirk medal. He's an assistant coach handing over the medal to one of his players. That's a good pickup,' he said. Caroline Wilson pointed out that Ashcroft was a three-time premiership player at Brisbane, but also held a key role at the Suns during their formative years. Hutchison also noted how they changed the name of the medal in Western Australia from Ross Glendinning Medal to Glendinning-Allan to acknowledge Fremantle. 'If you're the Suns, you say 'now the two kids have arrived, it is time for a reset'. It happened in Western Australia. A motivational factor for one team and not the other on game day,' he said. Cornes made a comparison to the Showdown Medal, which doesn't carry the name of any former player. 'It's like calling the Showdown Medal the (Mark) Ricciuto Medal. Why would a Port player want to win that medal?' He said.
