Tarrant informed his team-mates and coaches before training yesterday of his decision to bring down the curtain on a 15 year career as distinguished as it was memorable.
Watch Chris Tarrant discuss his decision to retire on this week's episode of The Club.
A five-time Collingwood leading goal kicker and All-Australian in 2003, Tarrant has to date played 263 matches and kicked 366 goals.
Tarrant’s colorful AFL story started in 1997, when he was recruited out of Mildura by the Magpies with pick eight in the national draft. He made his debut in round three of the 1998 season, at Optus Oval against the Western Bulldogs, in a side that included Graham Wright, Gavin Crosisca, Gavin Brown, Sav Rocca, Damian Monkhorst and current Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley.
He would become a much loved figure and a focal point in attack for the Collingwood sides that played grand finals in 2002 and 2003, with the latter season being arguably his finest as a forward. In that year Tarrant, kicked 54 goals, took 219 marks and won his All-Australian jumper. He also finished second in the Copeland trophy count.
Three years later, though, Tarrant, or ‘Taz’ as he is affectionately known to the black and white family, was central to a trade that saw him join Fremantle in exchange for Paul Medhurst and the first round draft pick that netted Collingwood Ben Reid. Tarrant would play 72 matches for the Dockers across four seasons before being welcomed back to the Westpac Centre reborn as a defender.
It was in the back 50 that he would distinguish himself a second time as a Collingwood player. In his return season, 2011, he finished top 10 in the Copeland and produced an outstanding finals campaign, not least in the preliminary final against Hawthorn when he kept Hawk champion Lance Franklin to three goals. His grand final, against Geelong, was also notable.
The 2012 season has been less productive. A string of niggles have kept Tarrant to just seven appearances, although his versatility remains important to Collingwood’s prospects. After starting forward against North Melbourne last Saturday night, for instance, he stood out in defence in the second half.
Tarrant will be interviewed exclusively on The Club (Fox Footy, 9.30pm) tonight.
