Departing Sydney Swans champion Ryan O'Keefe says the competitive fire still burns in his belly, but he's yet to decide whether he'll look to play elsewhere in the AFL next year.
O'Keefe, 33, who established himself as a star half forward and midfielder, will be given a lap of honour at halftime of Saturday's final round game against Richmond at ANZ Stadium.
A dual premiership player, O'Keefe played in three grand finals, won the 2012 Norm Smith Medal, the club's 2009 best and fairest and received All Australian recognition in 2006.
But he hasn't added to his tally of 286 games, the fourth highest at the club, since being dropped following round four.
While he still clung to some small hope of playing another senior game this year, O'Keefe accepted he won't be at the club in 2015.
Although he suggested he would enjoy the challenge of coaching, O'Keefe still felt he had something to offer as a player next year.
"I've just got to look at all the options and then I'll make a decision," he said.
"That's just something I want to sit down with my family and see. I don't want to be rushed into a decision."
He admitted it had been difficult not getting a chance to play in the seniors for most of the season and hadn't always seen eye to eye with coach John Longmire on the issue.
"We've spoken a lot during the season, we agreed to disagree on a few occasions," O'Keefe said.
Longmire said it had been a challenge having to consistently tell O'Keefe he was missing out on senior selection, but regarded him as possibly the most professional player he had ever coached.
"He's been relentless and I'm sure if you looked up the meaning of that in the dictionary you'd find a photo of Ryan O'Keefe," Longmire said.
O'Keefe seemed philosophical rather than bitter that his stellar 15-year career at the Swans was not ending on the note he had hoped.
He'd wanted to join the Swans 300 game club containing past or present teammates Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Michael O'Loughlin.
"I had it pencilled in at the start of the year, but it doesn't matter," O'Keefe said.
"When it's all done and dusted I can be proud of my career at the Swans.
"To achieve what I've achieved, I can hold my head up high.
"That (300 games) would have been a bonus but I'm pretty happy with what I've done here.
"I think I've got everything out of myself at the Swans as humanly possible."
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