Bar a privileged few there is a saying in football that suggests there are only two ways players exit clubs – injured or disappointed.
After 10 rounds of season 2017, there’s a group of players fitting snuggly into the later category.
Some have only themselves to blame but there is a growing list who’ve played on one season too many.
Scott Thompson
Missed most of the pre-season with an array of injuries, including shoulder and groin problems. Thompson finally made his SANFL debut in Round 5, but while he's been on the outer, he has watched as younger options – including Rory Atkins and Wayne Milera – cement spots as running midfielders.
It's hard to fathom the Crows offering up a midfield comprising Brad and Matt Crouch alongside a 34-year-old Thompson, given the manic pace at which the game is being played.
Andrew Swallow
The end was always going to come fast for the dour former captain, but he hit it much earlier than expected. By Round 3 the writing was on the wall. Two weeks later, the 29-year-old was dropped and without him, the side went on to score victories over Gold Coast and Adelaide.
While recalled for the Round 9 win over Melbourne, the veteran ball winner was left our of last week’s side. The key will be now for the Roos will be to exit one of their warriors with some dignity.
Matthew Boyd
The rumour mill has the 34-year-old on the outer at the kennel, less than a year after earning All Australian honours.
After struggling in matches against Richmond and West Coast, the half-back was listed as injured in Round 9, but was said to have been left out of the side as the coaching staff handed games to younger options.
Despite being in All Australian form last season, the Dogs did not re-sign one of their favourite sons until mid-October. Watch this space.
Zac Dawson
After being belted by Charlie Dixon in Round 2, Dawson was one of the first players coach Ross Lyon put a line through as the club moved swiftly to alter its team dynamic.
The 31-year-old has plugged away in the WAFL for the past six weeks and will remain there barring a slew of injuries.
Jarrad McVeigh
Calf injuries are the old man’s curse and McVeigh failed to listen to his body after it failed him late last year. By the start of the new season nothing had changed.
The 32-year-old missed the opening six games of this year with a calf problem before making his 2017 debut in Round 8.
Two weeks later he was forced out with a thigh injury. Given the Swans are now a rank outsider to play finals it’s going to be hard for the club to justify playing the veteran defender at senior level.
Josh Gibson
Despite former Hawk great Dermott Brereton suggesting Gibson should go on, the veteran Hawk's form suggests otherwise. While defence hasn’t been the place to be as the Hawks lurch from one disaster to another, the 33-year-old’s form, pace and ability to impact as third-man across has diminished faster than a striped lizard on asphalt.
Lucky for Gibson, the Hawks lack a viable young option to take his place.
Drew Petrie
Talked into playing by West Coast with the enticing lure of finals and a fairytale premiership victory were no doubt the motivating factor. After missing seven weeks with a hand injury the former Roo struggled enormously in the Round 10 loss to Greater Western Sydney.
Only played two senior games so has to be cut some slack, but odds are against the 34-year-old remaining in the side for the long haul.
Craig Bird
With the cavalry returning from suspension it was hard to see how the former Swan would fit in and it’s panned out that way.
He is yet to play a senior game this year after an injury interrupted pre-season and given the Bombers current trajectory it’s hard to see Bird getting another crack.
Dawson Simpson
The giant ruckman had all but signed with Geelong Football League club St Joseph’s, but was talked out of retirement by Suns’ coach Leon Cameron. It was for selfish reasons only the Giants decided to retain the 209cm ruck option who is odds-against to see senior action this year.
Simpson dominates hit-outs at NEAFL level, but offers little else.