“Heaviest of hearts”: Three-club midfielder reluctantly retires

Adam Treloar has reluctantly decided to retire after the Western Bulldogs did not offer him a contract for 2027.

The ball magnet managed just nine senior games across the last two seasons due to a spate of soft tissue injuries.

Though he wanted to play on, he ultimately revealed in a video message set to be posted by the club’s account on Wednesday that he is hanging up the boots.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have come to the conclusion that I am retiring,” Treloar said.

“I will never forget the moment that I fell in love with the game of footy – I was that seven-year-old boy that just wanted to be like his older brother – follow in his footsteps and play the game.

“I was a kid from Dandenong who grew up with nothing – except a loving family. All I ever wanted to do was make my friends and family proud.”

“That young boy would be so proud – never in my wildest dreams did I think I would play one AFL game – so to be here after 16 seasons, it is something I am extremely proud of.

“I am forever grateful to the Western Bulldogs Football Club and hopefully one day my daughter Georgie is running out in the red, white and blue.

“I will always be a Bulldogs person; I couldn’t speak more highly of the place and the people that work here.”

Treloar played 263 games across three clubs and was named on the bench in the 2024 All-Australian team.

He began his career at GWS, where he played 79 games, before famously requesting a trade to Collingwood at the end of 2015 ahead of Richmond.

Believing the Magpies were more likely to be successful, Treloar represented Collingwood on 94 occasions before he was again traded to the Western Bulldogs at the end of 2020.

“We don’t want you,” Nathan Buckley told him as part of the club’s salary cap purge, which also included Jaidyn Stephenson’s departure.

Treloar was deeply hurt by the decision to move him on given he had five years remaining on a lucrative contract.

In the final minute of the trade period, Treloar was traded, though it took several weeks for the Pies and Dogs to negotiate details around his contract.

Collingwood had initially wanted to trade Treloar to Gold Coast for a top draft pick, but the midfielder was adamant he wouldn’t be moving interstate, despite his partner Kim Ravaillion signing for the Queensland Firebirds.

It’s understood Treloar was initially disappointed to not be offered a fresh deal but is looking forward to continuing his work with the NDIS and Noble Park kids.

The 33-year-old played 90 games and booted 61 goals at the Dogs. He was part of the VFL team's flag in 2025.