An ongoing hip injury has forced Richmond forward Kane Lambert to retire from the game.
He made the announcement on Monday afternoon, having earlier informed his teammates.
Lambert played 135 games for the club, and was instrumental in the club’s premiership wins in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
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“My purpose has been to prove people right, the people that cared for me and gave me their time and effort,” he said.
“I am so fortunate to be able to thank those people.”
The 30-year-old said the highlight of his career wasn’t the premierships.
“It is not what you win, it is who you win it with, and it has been an absolute pleasure to share this journey with all our players, staff and members both past and present.”
Coach Damien Hardwick said the club could never repay what Lambert had given them.
“What Kane has given us since he arrived at the footy club can never be repaid, but it can be learned,” he said.
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“Dedication, resilience and all the things we talk about needing to get the best out of yourself, this man has done it.
“The way he played the game; we changed things based around him and how Lambert would do it. Watching him on the field is like a masterclass for an AFL coach.
“Kane has given us success, but he has also given us some of the off field stuff that is going to last a long time.”
Lambert had played just eight games in 2022, with the Tigers winning all eight of those games.
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