Western Bulldogs champion Tom Liberatore has explained the real reasons behind his decision to retire.
Speaking exclusively to 7NEWS, Liberatore said he did not want to go through more surgeries or suffer another concussion injury and “risk not remembering my son’s name”.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tom Liberatore speaks exclusively to 7NEWS
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Bulldogs blood runs through Liberatore’s veins, with his dad Tony playing 283 games for the club from 1986-2002, and winning a Brownlow Medal.
Asked about Tony’s reaction to the news, Tom told 7NEWS: “He was taken aback and didn’t expect it but I sort of calmed him down … he was great.”
Tom has had a history of concussion injuries and in 2024 was a chance of being medically retired when he faced the AFL’s concussion panel.
On that occasion, he gone through four concussion injuries in the space of just 22 games.
Then, there were more fears for Libertore this year when he suffered another head injury in April during a game against Geelong.
Asked what was next, Libertore was his usual laconic and slightly quirky self.
“Play a bit of golf, just hang out with my son a bit more, trouble the pubs a bit more as well,” he told 7NEWS.
After debuting in 2011, a best and fairest followed in 2014, only to be topped by a Bulldogs drought-breaking premiership two years later.
“Felt like I’d climbed a mountain in 2016. It meant a lot to me in a few different layers, not just being a premiership player,” he said.
Amid the celebrations came a brief cameo in Vietnam, playing among Aussie expats in the AFL’s Asian Championships.
“Played in the ruck, yep, yep,” he said about that game.
“Had a nice haircut (his head was shave on the very top), but yeah, kicked one from 60 on the run, so might have been the best goal ever.”
