Waite’s over for Roos
JARRAD Waite is going out on top, not bitter and twisted and no longer an enigma.
The North Melbourne key forward was tempted to extend his AFL career into a 17th season but is comfortable that Sunday’s season-ending game against St Kilda will be his swan song.
Going into last week’s meeting with Brad Scott, the 35-year-old was keen to keep playing and the Kangaroos coach was also open to the idea.
“If there was a contract on the table, it would have been a very hard decision,” Waite said. “Once I spoke to Brad, and even the way I was thinking, it’s the best decision.”
Waite said it meant a lot to him that he went out on top and on his terms. He also believed he had proved the doubters wrong.
“I’ve loved and hated every second of it,” he said.
The son of two-time Carlton premiership player Vin Waite played 184 games for the Blues from 2003 to 2014. While he’s always been a great talent, Waite struggled with injury and went through a stage where he was regularly in tribunal trouble.
But he flourished at North under Scott and at his media conference, player and coach agreed it would have been great if they had stared working together when Waite was 18.
Sunday will be his 60th game for North and he’s the fourth-oldest current AFL player.
“I can walk away knowing I’ve given it my all,” he said.
“If I’d left at 31, I probably would have been bitter and twisted with the way it ended at Carlton, where now I can hold my head up high and know I’ve proven that I am a good player.
“I’m not this enigma that everyone speaks about — I play consistent football. That’s probably one of the proudest things I’ve been able to achieve.”