WEST COAST veteran Michael Braun has finished his AFL career with a typically rugged performance in the Eagles' 71-point loss to Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
Braun managed 23 disposals in his 228th match and showed great courage in the final term when he put his body on the line and backed into Cyril Rioli.
But Braun played down the incident, saying he simply did what had to be done.
"That's how I play my footy and I pride myself on putting my body on the line when it's my turn to go," he said.
"(And), it was my turn to go."
"It's pretty sad to bring it to an end, but all good things do come to an end and I've had a fantastic career, I can't complain, I'm a premiership player and life member of this club."
"I didn't want it to end, but I did kind of."
"I'm very sore at night, I just need a really good rest ... and I can't get comfortable at night. It's just an aching pain, but that's footy (and) I've sacrificed that to get to play football."
Braun's courage was put into perspective by West Coast coach John Worsfold who said the 30-year-old would have been rested had he not been retiring.
"Brauny was hobbling during the week and it wasn't ideal," Worsfold said.
"It was one of the weeks that if it was earlier in the year, he would have rested but he had a commitment to get himself up for the game and he did that."
"It was a great effort by him and as I've said, his whole career he showed that to the end, all his contests on the ground today."
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson paid tribute to Braun who orginally hails from the Victorian town of Echuca.
"Usually when guys play at an interstate club at some point in a 10 to 12-year-career there's some speculation about when they return home," Clarkson said.
"The very fact that it's never come up in a debate at our footy club ... says a hell of a lot about the bloke. I thought he was a Western Australian, that's how heavily cemented he was in the culture of the West Coast footy club."
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WEST COAST has strengthened its off-field team with the appointment of former Melbourne coach Neale Daniher as general manager of football operations
Daniher, who coached the Demons for a decade, taking them to the grand final in 2000, has been chief executive of the AFL Coaches Association for the last 12 months.
West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett said Daniher will add 'great value' to the club.
"We were looking for someone with a strong coaching and administrative background and identified Neale as the best person for this role," he said.
"As a player and a coach he was a high achiever and has also been successful in the last 12 months as Chief Executive of the AFL Coaches Association.
"He is a man of impeccable character, someone who will add great value to our football club as we begin our resurgence as a powerful on-field force in the AFL."
Daniher, who will join West Coast in November said he was looking forward to the challenge of helping the Eagles rise back up the ladder.
"It's an exciting challenge and a great time to begin with the West Coast Eagles," Daniher said.
"I believe the club is well positioned to rebound quickly from what has been a disappointing season, particularly given its proud history.
"The club has a terrific young list and I look forward to playing my role in assisting the club's climb back up the AFL ladder."
West Coast coach John Worsfold said Daniher would play a key role in helping the Eagles rebound from what has been one of the worst seasons in its history.
"I have been very impressed in the conversations I have had with Neale over the past couple of months," Worsfold said.
"He brings to the table exactly the attributes we were looking for and believe he will assist us greatly in our vision for the team.
"Obviously his appointment is a key strategic development in the broad picture that we have for our club and I look forward to working with him."
Current football operations manager Trevor Woodhouse will share his duties with Daniher from next year.
Woodhouse will be responsible for list management and player contracts while Daniher will focus on the team and operational components of the role.
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WEST COAST veteran Michael Braun looks set to put his retirement on hold for another week due to the club's injury crisis.
Braun initially wanted Sunday's clash against Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval to be his farewell match but with the club's injury list now numbering 16 players, Braun has put his hand up to play in West Coast's round 22 encounter against Geelong at Skilled Stadium.
Eagles assistant coach Peter Sumich said Braun was likely to play against the Cats.
"Whether it's his last game or not this week we'll wait and see because with the amount of injuries we've got he will probably be forced to play against Geelong," he said.
"This (game against the Hawks) was more than likely going to be it but ... the way we're going with injuries, more than likely he'll have to front up against Geelong.
"It was always tentative with everything that was said about his last game, even this week, so he's happy to continue on and see the year out."
Sumich also said forward Ashley Hansen was a "strong possibility" to return this week from a rolled ankle but veteran David Wirrpanda (hamstring) is only a 50-50 chance.
Key defender Beau Wilkes is also no certainty to line up against the Hawks after being stretchered off the ground with a neck injury in the Eagles' 34-point loss to Melbourne at the MCG last Saturday.
The 22-year-old will undergo scans before a further assessemnt is made.
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