Fraser broke the news to his teammates and the clubs coaching staff with the usual twist of Fraser humour following a team meeting ahead of Saturdays game against the Adelaide Crows.
“I had spoken to Bluey yesterday and he asked if I would like to say a few words to the boys which I wanted to do and so I threw a little bit of humour in, but I guess underlying that was how much I appreciated them as teammates and I guess for welcoming me into the club and for allowing me to be part of a very special journey.”
Announcing my retirement today, it’s obviously been a little while coming, knowing that I wasn’t going to play a lot of senior footy this year, so I have had a lot of time to think about it but yeah, it’s certainly the right time for me to bow out.Drafted to the Collingwood Football Club as a 17-year-old in 1999, Fraser received his inaugural senior opportunity in round 1 of the 2000 season, over the next decade he would represent Victoria and contest a host of AFL finals and played on footballs biggest stage, his greatest regret?
“I would love to have been a guy that stood up in front of his mates and said I had no regrets, but clearly not playing in a premiership is one, we came close in 2002, 2003, I have been lucky enough to play in a lot of finals as well, but personally never got to play in a flag.”
“I got my opportunity at Collingwood so I am always grateful for that, I spent most of my football life there so that’s obviously something I will always remember and then the opportunity to come up here through Bluey and the football club to finish my career and hopefully pass on a heap of knowledge and experience to these young guys, I think in turn they have made me better and given me a greater understanding of what it is that makes a footy club tick.”
As he stood in front of the playing group this morning, many of them more than ten years his junior, it wasn’t the lost flags the towering ruckman lamented, but the thought of missing the success he is adamant the Gold Coast SUNS will enjoy.
Not being five or six years younger, to play in my prime with these guys and come through at the rate they are, so I am really excited about where the club is heading and clearly regret not being that bit younger to still be running around and do what I used to be able to do.
“The more I think about our club here at the SUNS, the more I think we are on the right track and if we continue to work hard as a group and certain individuals continue to raise the bar that success is certainly in the future.”
After 13 years on the road, Fraser also feels the time is right to spend more time with his family.
“The family have been great, clearly had to put up with a lot over 13 years and they will probably enjoy getting to see me a bit more.”
The Gold Coast SUNS threw Josh a life line and he’s confident the time spent on the Gold Coast has certainly prepared him for the next phase of his career and life, adding that the support from SUNS fans has been overwhelming.
“I have really enjoyed my time here and learnt a hell of a lot, not only about myself but about the game and I think it’s a great time for me to move forward into the next part of my life.”
Thank you to everyone for your support, I know I didn’t play a lot of senior footy this year but hopefully I have left an impression on the group for the good and I will be watching where ever I am at going forward and hopefully the Club really grows and gets the success it deserves.
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