Just heard on SEN

Announcement this afternoon - effective immediately

I really hope it isn't true!!!

If true, a sad ending for such a great player.

Well done Neita.

S%$t. New this day was coming if true.

Thanks for everything Neita!

confirmed, press conference today at 4 regarding David's immediate playing future

They said the announcement would be after 4, I really wanted to cheer on big Neita one last time on the ground!

Very sad to see Neitzy's career come to an end. My favourite player along with Stynes.

Congratulations big fella. You brought me alot of joy. You've been my hero since 1993

WTF?

Thought the big man would've had at least a send off game at the G so we could all cheer him on and thank him for his wonderful service and captaining us for many years. Sad end if true.

Thought the big man would've had at least a send off game at the G so we could all cheer him on and thank him for his wonderful service and captaining us for many years. Sad end if true.

yeah i was really hoping to cheer him on for one more game too.

He is a true legend of this club and has held us together for the last 10 years.

Thanks for everything Neita, you will be sorely missed

It's really sad to see him go. He's the only one left playing from when I was a kid watching us play every weekend with my dad. Him and Yze. Now they're gone, it's roughly 15 years later, and we're no closer to a flag

Really feel bad for the big man as he has dragged us through some crappy periods and never got the ultimate reward for it. He'd get double teamed, bashed from all sides, and just keep on going and kick a few goals to keep us where we needed to be. A true leader. If only we had more like him!

Great career and will rightly be remembered as a Melbourne champion as he holds half the records for us now B)

Pretty sad day for the MFC.........Neita's a champion of the highest order, and it's pretty sad to think we won't see the big number 9 back out there again leading us.

What will his send off be? Lap of honour on Queens Birthday?

What will his send off be? Lap of honour on Queens Birthday?

Lets hope so RD. The absolute least the man deserves.

this thread deserves to be sticky and ppl can come and pay tribute to one of the mfc greatest hero ever!!

nearly in tears! there are players like ben cousins who dont deserve a premiership. there are players like david neitz that just trully deserve it!

I have a feeling that I'll shed a tear the second that i hear him speak on the radio.

This feels worse than losing the GF.

Has it been confirmed? Surely he will play a send off match?

He was jsut on SEN.

No send off match. The neck injury finished him

Congratulations Neita A true champion. Up there with the greats of the club in Barrassi, Smith, Lyon and Flower. The heart and soul of the club who got the most out of his abilities. A sad day for the Melbourne Football Club your gone but will never be forgotten.

Sad but good, this allows Aussie to stay on for the rest of the year.

I beleive this decision was not only made by Neita and not only for Neita. In true Neitz style, he is thinking of what's best for the club.

We'll miss you Champ.

Congratulations Neita A true champion. Up there with the greats of the club in Barrassi, Smith, Lyon and Flower. The heart and soul of the club who got the most out of his abilities. A sad day for the Melbourne Football Club your gone but will never be forgotten.

For those that didn't hear it, the decision to retire was made by the fact that if he played again, there was a big chance that he risked serious injury, and pretty much guaranteed surgery to fuse disks in his back, which was a road that he didn't want to travel down.

Neale Daniher was just on,talking about Neita. it made me smile.

Going to miss ya heaps!

Good luck with life after football.

For those that didn't hear it, the decision to retire was made by the fact that if he played again, there was a big chance that he risked serious injury, and pretty much guaranteed surgery to fuse disks in his back, which was a road that he didn't want to travel down.

Neale Daniher was just on,talking about Neita. it made me smile.

Ox has been pretty good.

"over the jounrey women come and go for neitzy" classic

For those that didn't hear it, the decision to retire was made by the fact that if he played again, there was a big chance that he risked serious injury, and pretty much guaranteed surgery to fuse disks in his back, which was a road that he didn't want to travel down.

Similar to Andrew Johns?

At least they're bringing back the motorcade on GF day - deserves at least that.

Absolute Gun of a player. A true champ.

He is of a rare breed of footballers now who actually look like footballers. Rough and tough and not pretty, unlike the waxed metro's that play each week.

Side note: I got married last year and my mate organised Neita to provide a video congratulating us, my mate asked for a quick word and he gave a minute unscripted monologue, too funny.

Thanks Neita.

Thanks for the memories big fella.

The one man team has retired, passing of a MFC era.

What a sad day for our football club.

Feels a little numb knowing we'll never get to see our great captain in action again!