NORTH Melbourne key defender Nathan Grima has announced his retirement from the game, effective immediately.

In the latest blow for a club still reeling from Saturday’s abject defeat at the Gold Coast, the injury-plagued Grima confirmed he had decided to call it a day after eight years and 86 games.

The 29-year-old suffered a setback in his latest recovery attempt and is facing a third operation on his back to fuse a disc in his spine, according to a statement released by the club.

A fearsome competitor and once tipped as a future captain of the club, he has been cruelled by injury multiple operations after being selected at pick 14 in the 2008 rookie draft.

Operations on his knees, ankles, fingers, feet and hands throughout his career kept him on the sidelines, causing him to miss around 100 games of football.

He missed the entire 2008 season with a knee injury before making his debut in 2009 against Geelong in Round 8. He played 13 games that season and the following year managed a career high 17 games, a total he matched in 2013.