Narre Warren’s Brett EvansBy Brad Kingsbury
CHAMPION spearhead Brett ‘Birdman’ Evans sat down with Narre Warren coach Matt Shinners and his closest Magpie team-mates during the week and offered to retire immediately.
The snap decision was the culmination of a frustrating run of injuries and illness that saw the 37-year-old former AFL forward play only two games in the past eight weeks.
“I just didn’t want to be a liability,” he said.
“I was dirty on myself after the Pakenham game (the week before). I didn’t get into it and just thought well maybe I’m keeping a kid out of the side.”
Evans went to coach Matt Shinners and told him he thought he was finished, but was asked to sit down and discuss it with Shinners, assistant Dean Holden and long-standing team-mates Glenn Hamilton and Steven Kidd.
He was given a unanimous vote of confidence by all and told that he was an important part of the Magpies’ side.
“I thought I was really labouring. So much has changed in footy these days and I was a fair bit underdone and I really couldn’t do the extra sessions that you have to do now,” he said.
“I needed to know where they thought I was at and they put it in perspective. They gave me a lot of confidence and said that they wanted me as a player and needed me for the kids.
“You’re only as strong as the people around you and I’m lucky to have good ones around me.”
Evans added that he was glad the outcome was what it was, as football had been such a big part of his life for so long.
He celebrated the decision to continue with six goals against Berwick on Saturday, but said that he would almost certainly step aside after this year’s finals.
