Brisbane triple-premiership player Luke Power says prolonging his AFL career by a year to co-captain Greater Western Sydney has proved one of the best decisions of his life.
Power, who emerged from a short-lived retirement last year to join the Giants, won the AFL players’ association’s Madden Medal on Friday.
The award recognises newly-retired players for both on-field and off-field achievements throughout the course of their careers.
Power, who played 302 AFL games, co-captained the Lions for two of his 14 seasons in Brisbane and said he would always love the club that had played such a huge part in making him who he was.
But, as he prepares to become a fulltime assistant coach with the Giants, having combined that role with playing this year, he now feels better prepared for life after football.
“I’ve enjoyed everything, I’ve upskilled, I’ve got much more knowledge on the game and what goes into it,” Power said.
“I feel it’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
Power’s medal win also recognises his work as an AFLPA board member and in the community, including as an ambassador for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which assists seriously ill children.
He said if it was purely about football, he doubts he would have beat a field of nominees including Geelong’s Matthew Scarlett and David Wojcinski, Melbourne’s Brad Green and Hawthorn’s Chance Bateman and Cameron Bruce.
“Last week I won the personality of the year in footy and I thought it must be a pretty lean year,” Power said.
“But coming here today and winning this award, it’s definitely not a lean year.
“I certainly won’t be able to come back (and play again) next year now, now that this has been decided.”