Saints forward Schneider retires from AFL

St Kilda small forward Adam Schneider will line up for his final AFL match against former club Sydney this weekend after announcing his retirement.

The 31-year-old veteran has played 227 games and kicked 257 goals during a stellar 13-year career at both the Saints and the Swans.

He will fittingly bid his farewell to the sport against his old team at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have represented two great clubs throughout my time in football,” Schneider said.

“I’ve had some fantastic experiences, met a lot of wonderful people and am extremely grateful to have had the career I have had.”

After 98 games with Sydney, including the 2005 premiership and 2006 grand final loss, Schneider was traded to St Kilda in 2007 along with teammate Sean Dempster.

He represented the Victorian side 129 times including in the 2009 grand final and the 2010 draw and replay.

His five AFL grand finals puts him level with Dempster and Hawthorn’s Shaun Burgoyne for the most grand finals contested by any player on an AFL list in 2015.

Injury battles over the past three years saw Schneider relegated to the rookie list at the end of 2014, but he was re-drafted in time for round one this season and has featured in 14 games.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson likened his outgoing charge to an assistant coach, saying he has provided guidance to younger players including Jack Lonie and Jack Sinclair.

“Adam is a tremendously skilled and hard-working player who has been a wonderful servant of both St Kilda and Sydney,” Richardson said.

“I have only coached Adam in the final two years of his career but in that time I have found him to be a genuine leader of this group both by example and also by instruction.”

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