Brisbane ruckman Trent West has retired, delivering the struggling AFL club a reminder of the 2013 trade period that stalled its progress.
West, who was part of Geelong's 2011 AFL premiership side, will play for the Lions' seconds on Saturday then hang up his boots.
The 28-year-old has played only 16 games in three seasons for the Lions, with a knee reconstruction in 2014 hampering his development.
West joined the Lions at the same time that Brisbane youngsters Sam Docherty, Elliot Yeo, Billy Longer, Jared Polec and Patrick Karnezis all effectively walked out.
The departure of the quintet, who all demanded and were granted trades, highlighted some of the issues at Brisbane.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Almost three years on and the Lions remain a pressing concern for league bigwigs.
Brisbane recorded a four-point win over Carlton on Saturday but it was the club's third victory for the year and they sit 17th on the ladder.
"Hang tight through these tougher times until the group gets a few games under their belt and starts getting some good games together," West told the club website.
"We've shown patches throughout the year and played some pretty exciting footy.
"They're a great bunch of guys up here and the staff have been great to me."
West played four AFL games this season, bringing his career tally to 70.
"I probably made the decision a while ago and as the year went on that decision probably got clearer for me, mainly because of my body - my knees," he said.
"I could've tried to play on for a year, but I would be battling."
