Misunderstood to the last, retiring Richmond forward and AFL bad boy Jake King was keen to make one thing clear.
"I'm not here by choice. Dimma's sacked me," King said, grinning at coach Damien Hardwick.
While it was a foot injury that eventually brought King's 107-game AFL career to an end, he was going out his way.
With a laugh.
From learning he was taken by Richmond while working on a roof in Diamond Valley - he downed tools and headed straight to the pub for a counter meal - King's rise has been remarkable.
Making his debut at 23, King battled injuries throughout his career, and played only two games this season.
He said he could not kick a footy or change direction without pain and will now have surgery.
But in typical fashion, the push-up King was able to make light of the career-ending injury.
"But I'm not going to die," he smiled.
"Time was up. I've gotten everything out of my body I can."
King's injury will prevent him a farewell appearance in the yellow sash, but he wasn't letting the manner of his departure blot his memories of his AFL career.
At Punt Road, King became one of the game's great characters and a cult Tiger hero.
A high-profile friendship with ex-bikie boss Toby Mitchell brought King detractors, including then-AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou.
King remains unruffled.
"The headlines are the headlines," he said.
"I live life and that's all there is to it... I don't turn my back on mates, I support my friends and family."
"I don't regret any of it, wouldn't change anything for the world and can't thank the playing group and the club enough."
Hardwick suggested King's bad-boy ways was a myth existing outside Punt Road.
"We realise how important a person he is. He's a great player but more importantly he's an outstanding individual," he said.
"Players play taller knowing that he's around.
"When we were playing our best footy, Jake was certainly a part of that.
"We're going to miss the little fella."
The two share a tight bond and King said the closest he got to shedding a tear was telling Hardwick his decision to retire.
"To be honest, I probably just held it together. I said I can't talk any more, enough's enough."
And Hardwick's reaction according to King?
"He was rapt. He's been trying to get me out for five years and it's finally happened," he joked.
Hardwick said King had the skills to achieve anything - including taking a coaching role - but King kept his future plans close to his chest.
"Time will tell," King said.
The only disappointment was the push-up King declined to drop and give twenty for old times' sake.
King adds his name to an already vintage list of AFL players to retire this season, including Jonathan Brown, Lenny Hayes, Dean Cox, Darren Glass, Nick Maxwell and Dominic Cassisi.
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