ST KILDA will lose one of its heart-and-soul players at the end of the season, after Lenny Hayes flagged his retirement today.

Hayes, 34, informed his teammates of the decision during a player meeting at the Saints’ Linen House Centre this morning.

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“I love playing football and I love the St Kilda football club so it was never going to be easy to make this call,” Hayes said at a press conference later.

“It has been a tremendous journey. I am enormously grateful for experiences I have had and the lifelong friends I have made in my time playing for St Kilda.

“While the team has its challenges at the moment, I am confident that with the right guidance from Alan Richardson and our senior players, our young playing list will develop strongly and can take the Saints to success once again in the not too distant future.”

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Richardson said looking at Hayes close-up this season had confirmed the respect he had always held for the champion midfielder.

“I have always held Lenny in the highest esteem as an outsider looking in but since I have come to St Kilda, my opinion of him has only grown,” Richardson said.

“He is held in the highest regard by everyone in the football world and the leadership he has shown both on and off the field has been nothing short of outstanding. He will be remembered as one of St Kilda’s all-time greats.”

media_camera Lenny Hayes in action for the Saints.

In an exclusive video message to St Kilda members, Hayes thanked Saints fans for their support.

“A big part of what’s made me a Saints player and so proud of puling on that jumper each week is to play in front of you guys and the support you’ve shown me has just been unbelievable.’’

Hayes said he would like “to notch up a few more wins’’ before the end of the season, “but I guess at some point in everyone’s career they finish up playing. I’ve had a fantastic career, a great time playing in the red, white and black and again I just want to thank you for all of the support you’ve shown me.’’

The former skipper has played 291 games for the Saints, which places him fifth on the club’s list of career games, behind Robert Harvey, Nathan Burke, Stewart Loewe and Barry Breen.

He will leave the game with an impressive list of achievements, including three St Kilda best-and-fairest and All Australian awards, as well as a Norm Smith Medal from the 2010 drawn Grand Final. He placed third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal, won by Geelong’s Gary Ablett.

His long-time teammate, Leigh Montagna, hinted last month that Hayes wanted “to go out on top and doesn’t want to play that extra year longer. We’ve been winding him up saying we don’t know the last player who won the best and fairest and retired in the same year, there wouldn’t be too many and he’d be almost up there at the moment.’’

Why everyone loves Lenny media_camera NSW-ACT Rams midfielder Lenny Hayes wins the 1998 Morrish Medal is the best player in the Under-18 competition. 1 of 10 media_camera Don’t tred on me: Herald Sun photographer Colleen Petch captures the spirit of Lenny Hayes. 2 of 10 media_camera Paul Chapman cops the full force of a Hayes bump in the 2010 qualifying final. 3 of 10 media_camera Two Saints champs: Lenny Hayes embraces Robert Harvey after his final game. 4 of 10 nav_small_close Want to see more?( 6 more photos in collection )Continue to full gallery nav_small_left nav_small_right

Having returned to the Saints’ six man leadership this year and mentored several of the younger midfielders, Hayes has averaged 25 disposals in his 14 games this season.

Hayes, who captained the Saints in 2004 and 2007, is the last remaining active player from the 1998 national draft, taken by the Saints with pick No. 11.

His retirement leaves just nine players from the St Kilda team which lost the 2010 Grand Final to Collingwood.