Retired Crow Graham Johncock says his battered body didn’t have one last farewell game left in it.

Johncock, 30, announced his retirement from the AFL, effective immediately, on Monday. The 227-game veteran last played for Adelaide in Round Three this season.

Crows members and supporters would’ve liked an opportunity to see the popular figure in action again before he hung up the boots. But the Adelaide Football Club Life Member wanted to put the team first.

“A farewell game did cross my mind, but in the end my decision was that I didn’t want to be gifted a game. I firmly believe that every game you play, you should earn,” Johncock said at a press conference on Monday.

“And even if I did earn that game, I’d want to make sure I was performing at the highest level I could and I thought my body just wouldn’t let me do that.”

Johncock will say ‘goodbye’ to fans in a lap of honour at the Club’s last home and away game at AAMI Stadium, against Melbourne in Round 22. The skilful small defender/forward was limited to three AFL matches through injury and form issues. He was unable to play for SANFL club Port Magpies on the weekend because of a nagging back complaint.

Johncock said he “greatly appreciated” the overwhelming support from fans, desperate to see him back in the Crows team, but admitted his body no longer allowed him to play at the level.

“The way my body has been this year, I wouldn’t have picked myself. I strongly believe I wouldn’t have got through the game because of injuries and the way my body feels,” he said.

“Walking down the street people would always ask, ‘when are you going to get back in the team?’ It shows to me people really care … and not only as a player. When they’re asking me in the street, shows they genuinely care for me and I’m really appreciative of it.

“It’s hard to tell them you’re starting to get a bit slower and older and that the game’s getting a bit quicker and you can’t keep up anymore. In reality, that’s just the way it is.

“I think it’s the right decision. Over the last couple of years, I’ve had problems with my ankle, my knee and ongoing back issues. In the end, it pretty much wore me down.”

A diamond in the rough, Johncock was recruited with pick No.67 in the 2000 AFL National Draft. The Port Lincoln lad made his debut in Round One, 2002, and played the next 45 games in succession.

His tally of 227 games ranks him ninth all-time at Adelaide and 11^th on the Indigenous games leaderboard, which is topped by former teammate and childhood idol Andrew McLeod (340).

Johncock, who revealed he’d been thinking about retiring for “a couple of months”, said it would be hard to walk away from West Lakes.

“The last couple of nights haven’t been that good sleep-wise,” he said.

“The hardest part was telling my teammates this morning that I’d made my decision. I got a bit emotional. But it had to be done and I thank them for all their support over the years. I’ll miss the bond I’ve made with my teammates and friends over the years. It’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I’ve made some really good mates. I’m hoping we can continue to be the best of mates.

“I’ve been here 13 years. I’ll be 31 this year, so almost half my life has been spent at this footy club. I’m over the moon with the career I’ve had and what I’ve achieved.

“If you’d have told me 15 years ago when I was a kid running around in Port Lincoln that I’d be a 200-plus game player for the Adelaide footy club I would’ve taken it every time.”

Johncock is the first to admit he wasn’t the typical modern-day footballer. “I’ve always had issues with my skinfolds and stuff,” he said with a laugh.

But his skill, flair, aggression and consistency will ensure he goes down as one of the best players in Adelaide’s 23-year history. The 2011 19^th Man award winner said he’d received great support from people involved at the Club throughout his long career.

“As a young, 18-year-old kid coming in, you do have your ups and downs,” he said.

“I’ve had a lot of support over the years. The guy sitting next to me, Phil Harper, and guys like Stephen Sanders from the Club have helped me immensely off the field.

“Those guys made sure I was always on the right track, or tried to put me on the right track.”

Johncock will also be remembered for having one of the great nicknames …

“It’s funny how it came about. It wasn’t in a ‘rude’ way, if I can say that,” he said.

“It’s just because of the surname. One of my coaches now, Mark Bickley, was the one who came up with it when I was a young guy first coming into the Club.”

Johncock hasn’t thought too much about life post-footy. He hopes to play out the season for the Port Magpies (body permitting) and will enjoy more time with his young family.

“I’ve got two little girls, so family is going to be a priority for me. I want to spend more time with them,” he said.

“I’ll sit back for a little bit and see where I want to end up and what I want to do. Going back to Port Lincoln was always in the back on my mind during my career, so that might be on the cards.”