If Matthew Lloyd is to be remembered at least in part for the controversial 270th and last game of his stellar AFL career, then Essendon would like the record to be set straight.
Departing Bombers chief executive Peter Jackson insisted that Lloyd deserved credit, rather than criticism, for his heavy hit in round 22 on Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell.
It earned the Bombers skipper a four-match suspension - and inspired them to victory and a berth in the finals for the first time in five years.
"That incident that led to his suspension was never intended to be what it was, but it was a statement of impact by the captain of this club and singlehandedly I think it turned that game," Jackson said on Wednesday at a packed media conference to announce Lloyd's retirement.
"Neither Matthew or I would be condoning the outcome of the incident (where Sewell was knocked out).
"But the decision to make a statement and say to this football club, which was trailing by four goals at the time, this wasn't good enough and turn the game around so we could play a game of finals and earn the respect back of the football world was huge."
It was a far cry from the furious reaction at the time of Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson and utility Campbell Brown.
But Lloyd revealed on Wednesday he spoke shortly after the match with Luke Hodge, one of Hawthorn's toughest players.
"He said `I've been brought up that whatever happens on the field, you shake hands and you get on with it, you look forward to the next time you play your footy' and I've always been the same," said the 31-year-old Lloyd.
"I've copped plenty of hits in my time and I've given a few out and that's the way footy should be."
There had been speculation that coach Matthew Knights had been less than keen for Lloyd to push on for one more year - and that if he did so it would be up the ground, rather than in his preferred position of full-forward.
But Lloyd was at pains to say the decision to retire was one he was happy with.
"I got offered a fantastic contract, I got told what my role would be next year but I decided I don't have the hunger to play any more and it's as simple as that," he said.
"You don't go into a pre-season and you don't spend the next 12 months of your life if you're not 100 per cent committed or you're fatigued from the mental or physical side, as I am.
"So it was quite an easy decision for me in the end.
"It's a happy time for me, it's not a sad time."
Even so, Lloyd teared up at the media conference as the father of two paid tribute to the support of his family throughout a 15-year AFL career.
Father John Lloyd played 29 games for Carlton in the mid 1960s, while brothers Brad and Simon both work in the football industry.
Lloyd's many playing honours include three Coleman medals and five All Australian jumpers, while his tally of 926 goals places him seventh on the all-time VFL/AFL list.
But his proudest moments were playing in the 2000 premiership team and succeeding three other all-time club greats, Mark Thompson, Gary O'Donnell and James Hird, as Essendon captain three years ago.
Despite being linked with a possible move to Collingwood in recent weeks, Lloyd said he always intended to retire as a one-club player, adding neither he nor his management had ever spoken to another club.
And he did not duck the tough questions during a long media conference, admitting that accusations he had dived for free kicks earlier in his career was valid.
"There was a stage where I got caught playing for free kicks," he said.
"And I feel like in the last five or six years I identified that, when Matthew (Knights) came to the club the losing of the feet was something we identified.
"I think it's a stigma that's stuck with me from a period where I probably did stage for a few free kicks and I accept that.
"But understand that I was also hard at the footy."
Most of Lloyd teammates attended Wednesday's announcement, including recently-retired fellow key forward Scott Lucas, whose career at Windy Hill paralleled that of the skipper.
A good friendship and a really good understanding, was Lucas's summation of their successful double act.
"In my time on football, he was as good as anyone I played with or against."
Lloyd plans to do more media work in retirement and step up his role with the AFL Academy.
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