DANIEL Cross says the courage he needed to run back with the flight in the final act of his career was a "microcosm" of his time in football and the reason he was able to play 249 games.

Cross was not offered a new contract by Melbourne earlier this week and he bowed out with a typically gutsy game against GWS, which ended in the fourth quarter when he was knocked unconscious and taken from the ground on a stretcher.

The 32-year-old, who didn't remember waving to the crowd as he left the ground or returning to watch the final minutes, said his 15-year career was made possible by a hard-nosed country attitude.

"I would have rather not been knocked out and remembered the whole game, but I guess it's a microcosm of what I've been able to do to play so long," he said.

"I grew up in the country, and country football is renowned for being hard footy and that's the way I was brought up with dad and my brother.

"Without that I don't believe I would have (played so long). That's the way I love playing."

Cross was among the Demons' better players on Sunday with 25 possessions, and he was his team's clear best one week earlier against Fremantle with 39 touches.

Dees finish year in style against Giants

The former Western Bulldogs gun, who played 210 games at the Kennel and won the club's 2008 best and fairest, said he had been keen to secure a new contract with Melbourne for next year, a decision not made lightly.

"It was a really considered decision that I made to play on again next year, and it took me until halfway through the year to decide that's what I wanted to do," he said.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself in the last few weeks to perform, to try and convince the people making the decisions that I still had it.

"Unfortunately it didn't go my way but the last few weeks I sort of took the shackles off and thought, 'whatever way it goes I just want to finish strongly'.

"I played with a bit of freedom in myself and I'm rapt we've won my last game."

Former Bulldogs teammate Matthew Boyd, who is preparing for a finals series, spoke to the Demons players about Cross during the week.

It was a speech that coach Paul Roos believed could have influenced the result on Sunday as the Demons lifted for their teammate after he was taken from the ground on a stretcher.

An awful ending for Daniel Cross, as he leaves the field on the stretcher. #AFLDeesGiants http://t.co/MNQOEeNafs — AFL (@AFL) September 6, 2015

Cross said he would remember his time at Melbourne fondly and he was grateful the club had given him a chance to play on. He added another 39 games in two seasons.

"It's a great privilege to have played this great game for such a long period of time. I consider myself very lucky," he said.

"I know I've done all the work, but there's so many people who have supported me and helped me along the way.

"It's been the support of family, friends and the fans as well that really drives me. I'm happy with the way it's finished."

With a sports science degree under his belt, Cross said he would take a few weeks to decide what he wanted to do next, with Melbourne offering him a role in its football department.

"I've been doing a bit of work placement the last few years to get myself prepared and I'm pretty confortable with what I have behind me," Cross said.

"I'd like to move into the fitness side of football and I'm very passionate about how the body works and how you can get every single ounce of ability out of your body.

"I look forward to doing that for young players coming through in the game."