Veteran Australian Rules Football defender Nathan Broad has formally brought an end to his decorated tenure with the Richmond Tigers, while stopping short of locking in any definitive plans for his professional future beyond 2027. The three-time premiership winner made the retirement announcement Tuesday afternoon, confirming he will pull on the Richmond guernsey for just two more matches, culminating in a Round 23 farewell against St Kilda at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Drafted to Richmond from Western Australian Football League side Swan Districts in the 2015 National Draft, Broad has built a 191-game career in Victoria over the past decade. Now, the 31-year-old says returning to his home state of Western Australia to raise his growing family has long been his end-of-career goal. He will relocate with his wife, their three-year-old daughter, and a new child expected to join the family this December. “It’s always been the plan to get home to Western Australia,” Broad told reporters. “I want to go back there and raise a family and enjoy some quieter times.”
In the weeks leading up to his official announcement, Broad has been widely tipped to join WA-based AFL club West Coast Eagles, with former Richmond teammate turned Eagles midfielder Liam Baker publicly throwing his support behind the move. Speaking to Melbourne radio station Triple M, Baker said the club would “love him at West Coast”, adding that Broad is keen to return to his home state. Whether Broad joins as a player or transitions into a coaching role remains to be determined by club leadership, Baker noted, but argued Broad would be “a great asset” to the Eagles organisation no matter the capacity.
Broad confirmed Tuesday that preliminary discussions have taken place between himself and West Coast, but stressed that no binding agreements are in place for his post-Richmond career. “I’ve always been a one-club player, I’m happy here and I’ve got two more games left at the Tigers to see out,” he said. “I’m going to put my best foot forward for the footy club and try to get two more wins for them and then that’ll be it.”
When asked if he would consider a move into coaching after hanging up his playing boots, Broad said he had not yet settled on a next step. He plans to take a full year away from the sport to recharge before evaluating his options, emphasizing that “there’s nothing in concrete anywhere” for his future.