Richmond midfielder Shane Tuck, 31, will retire from AFL at the end of the 2013 season.

The 171-game veteran has finished in the top 10 in the club’s best-and-fairest award seven times including a runner-up finish in 2008.

Tuck, who has been on the brink of being cut from the list more than once since making his debut in 2004, was warmly praised by senior coach Damien Hardwick on Thursday.

“Shane has been a fantastic servant of the Richmond Football Club over a long period of time,” Hardwick said.

“He has overcome the odds on a number of occasions and has become a favourite among the Tiger fans, and a much-loved, respected teammate.”

Originally recruited to Hawthorn where his father Michael played a league-record 426 games, Tuck also represented SANFL club West Adelaide before he was selected at pick 73 by Richmond in the 2003 National Draft and made his debut the following season.

Tuck has averaged 23.4 disposals and four tackles in his AFL career.

Fourth in last year’s Jack Dyer Medal, Tuck has averaged 17 disposals per game in nine matches in 2013.

The Tigers face Essendon on Saturday night at the MCG ahead of next month’s finals campaign, Richmond’s first since 2001.