Neale Daniher announces that former Blue and Lion Brendan Fevola will take part in next month's Big Freeze

Brendan Fevola has bid farewell to the game he’s played his entire life in an emotional goodbye over the weekend.

After his country team Hastings’ season came to an end, Fevola knew his career had run its course and he made the decision to hang the boots up.

The former Blues goalkicking great spoke about the tough decision on his breakfast radio show on Monday morning and revealed he “lost it” when telling the playing group.

“We had to win on the weekend and another team had to lose for us to make finals, we ended up losing anyway,” Fevola said on Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Byron.

“I was driving down the Peninsula and I was contemplating whether it was going to be my last game of footy that I played ever.

“Throughout the game I was like ‘yeah this is it’, when it finished I knew it was it. I knew I was done.

“I’m 38, got four kids at home and it’s just tough waking up every morning. I don’t train, I’m fat and my body has just about had enough.”

After rehearsing his speech on the drive back to the club rooms following the loss, Fevola said he had it nailed but a speech from the coach put him in an awkward position.

“I rehearsed my speech all the way home to tell the boys because you don’t want to just leave and then not go back next year.

“It went really well in my head and then our coach Rick was talking after the game about making sure everyone sticks together and don’t leave and don’t jump ship and I’m about to do my ‘I’m quitting’ and it felt really awkward.

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“I started to speak and I just lost it, I don’t get emotional but I was bawling my eyes out. I’ve been playing footy since I was five, footy has been everything to me and it’s been my whole life and god I just cried like a newborn baby.

“I was in all sorts of trouble and the boys are just laughing, I just fully lost it but I ended up getting it out.”

After getting a bit emotional discussing the retirement with his co-hosts, they sprung a surprise tribute video on him which included messages from his wife Alex and their three kids Mia, Leni and Lulu.

“Hey Brendan it’s me, just wanted to say how very proud I am of you and everything you’ve achieved, not only in your footy career but in your life in general. You are a true inspiration to so many people and most importantly to your own family,” Alex said.

Fevola was already on the verge of tears, but the tribute put together by his family sent the former AFL superstar over the edge as he struggled to contain his tears and after hearing the tribute he couldn’t muster up the words as the emotion took over.

“Yeah you got me … ahhh s***,” Fevola said fighting back tears.

Fevola started his AFL career after being drafted by Carlton in 1998 where he went on to finish third in clubs history for the all-time goals kicked with 575.

He was traded to the Brisbane Lions at the end of the 2009 season where he played 17 games, kicking 48 goals, before being unceremoniously dumped. A moment he labelled one of the darkest moments of his life.

“That was pretty low, knowing it was done,” Fevola said on Fox Footy's Bob.

“And being highly medicated and having being in there for a reason and for that to happen was … yeah, it wasn’t good.

“But looking back on it, like a year later, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me because the bubble of footy, mentally I wasn’t stable enough to be in that.”

Fevola then went on to make a name for himself playing in country leagues where he secured his first ever taste of premiership success with Yarrawonga.

“I really found my love of footy back when I was playing country footy and I did a lot of that for 10 years,” Fevola said.

“Going to Yarrawonga and winning premierships was probably the highlight of my footy career, which most AFL players wouldn’t say that.

“The best thing about playing country footy is the supporters love the club and they live and breathe footy.

“The whole town is about footy and to go in and have a few beers, play a game of footy and stay around the rooms afterwards you meet some great people and I met some great people along the way.”