After failing to fully recover from a fractured leg in 2012, the ex-Crow has made the decision to retire from the game.
Gold Coast defender Nathan Bock has retired from AFL football, effective immediately.
Bock’s career hit a major hurdle in 2012 when he severely fractured his leg, requiring extensive surgery.
Following a long rehabilitation period, Bock returned in Round 19 of the 2013 season, playing two matches before undergoing more surgery to remove a rod inserted to stabilise his leg.
The Round 20 match against Melbourne proved to be his final match of his career.
Bock admitted it was a tough way to end his career, without having a chance to fully recover from his injury.
“It has been a long road back to play after fracturing my leg, and despite my best endeavours and those of the medical and high performance staff, unfortunately the time has come to end my football career,” Bock told the club’s website.
“I have loved playing footy over the last eleven years with both the Adelaide and Gold Coast football clubs.
“I feel very fortunate to have played for two exceptional football clubs; while the decision to leave Adelaide was a tough one, I am extremely pleased that I have played a role in establishing the Gold Coast Suns, a club I strongly believe will go on to bigger and better things in the years to come.”
Suns coach Guy McKenna paid tribute to Bock’s contribution to the expansion club.
“Nathan has played an enormous role in our club’s formative years. He did an awful lot of heavy lifting in the early years, and unfortunately, following his devastating injury in 2012, he was unable to demonstrate this on-field,” McKenna told the club’s website.
“We will be forever grateful for his contribution and we wish Nathan well in his future endeavours.”
Bock appeared in 113 AFL games for the Adelaide Crows, where he was a club champion and All Australian.
He joined the Suns at the end of the 2010 season and played 27 games.
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