Joel Bowden Last Game!

RICHMOND'S Joel Bowden has announced his retirement from AFL football.

Bowden's final appearance will be against Collingwood on Saturday at the MCG.

The match will be his 265th in Tigers colours and will be followed by his testimonial dinner at the same ground.

Bowden last played an AFL match in round 11 this year against the Bulldogs, gathering 32 disposals.

That was also Terry Wallace's last game as coach. When caretaker Jade Rawlings took the reins, the youth policy instigated at the club saw the Tiger veteran go to the VFL.

Congratulations Bowden on a great career, I have greats memories of you especially last year when you won us three matches. The winning goal against Brisbane, the rushed behinds against Melbourne and the game saving mark against Port Adelaide. You deserved to be treated better this year but jade wanted to play the youngungs, anyway thats life! Good luck in the future with whatever you do!

It's hard to beleive a guy in his prime as a backman is retiring. Rawlings said he is looking to the future and drops probably the best richmond player out of the lot and doesn't call him back until he announces his retirement. This weeks game he is playing his final game. I'm not a richmond fan but is sad to see one of the best backman in the league get dropped because he is TOO OLD and retire because of it.