Daniel Venables says he would hand back his West Coast premiership medal in exchange for “good health”.
The 22-year-old announced his retirement on Wednesday after being forced into the decision following a recommendation by an AFL medical panel.
Venables had suffered a brain trauma when receiving a heavy head knock in 2019 and has struggled with day to day life ever since.
In his first full season in 2018, Venables won a flag with the Eagles but he says he would be happy to lose the medallion to get his health back.
“I would give it back for good health,” he said on Sportsday WA.
“I don’t care about the games and all that type of stuff. There’s more to life than footy and I’ve learnt that.
“I’d give the premiership back for good health, that’s for sure. But you can’t go back in time and these are the cards I’ve been dealt.
“There’s always going to be questions of why this happened, but the sooner I accept that I can’t change anything…”
After five years in the system and just 21 games, Venables attempted to explain just how tough his retirement announcement was to make in front of his teammates.
“I was practicing the speech a bit, but it wasn’t until I looked at my mates and everyone else and it got me,” he added.
“It’s such a great environment, an AFL footy club, and I went straight from school. A week after school I moved to Perth (from Melbourne) into a football environment. It’s kind of all I’ve ever known since I was a kid.
“Now it’s all gone. It’s hard and it’s very sad. I got through it, I had a smile on my face and I feel that’s the way you’ve got to attack life.”
It’s been a difficult few years for Venables who admitted to giving up on his career in 2020 before attempting to reignite things this year.
“I did have to re-train my brain from the start,” he said further.
“My balance and co-ordination, all that type of stuff. With that I’ve been living with headaches, cognitive function issues and fatigue.
“I kind of gave up in 2020, to be honest, but something inspired me to get back. From that I just kept training and training and the club gave that chance to have another crack at getting back.
“I got myself up to a place where I was able to do everything at training, physically I was looking really good, then it was the lingering issues that I keep having every day that don’t go away which is very frustrating.
“The pains are still there and the issues, but physically I’m good. It’s just so frustrating and confusing.”
Despite his struggles, the Western Jets product says he at least has a lifelong connection with the West Coast Football Club, even with said premiership medallion in his possession.
“I definitely remember the Grand Final and I’m very grateful for the experience,” he added.
“I was very young then and I learnt a few lessons in that game.
“I can look back on that and I guess it ties me to the club for the rest of my life.
“I can always say I’m a premiership player and when I come back to the club there’s something, there’s a connection there.”
While admitting he will be sad to leave Perth, Venables is set to return to Melbourne to set his life up
He is unlikely to pursue a career in coaching and is still weighing up what’s next, but is more focused on returning to “full health”.