West Coast Eagles premiership player Jamie Cripps farewells fans at Optus Stadium

Another of West Coast’s 2018 premiership stars has made his final bow, Jamie Cripps, given a standing ovation during the halftime break against Hawthorn.

2026 was likely to be the small forward’s curtain call, but the decision was made for the 34-year-old after suffering an ACL injury while playing for the club’s WAFL team in the front half of the year.

While it wasn’t the farewell he or the fans would have hoped for, the emotional forward was given a fitting farewell after 277 AFL games and 339 goals.

The playing group got around the veteran pre-game, and many stopped for a hug with Cripps as they ran onto the ground.

Star forward Jake Waterman also led his young sons, Reif and Lance, through the banner with the team.

The man himself addressed the crowd briefly at halftime as the heavy rain that plagued the first half of the match finally held off.

“It’s probably not the send off I was hoping for, but I loved every minute (playing AFL), he said.

“I’ve had a really good run over the past 14 years, and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Speaking to Channel Seven he added he didn’t think there would be any footy in his future.

“No footy for me, I’m moving back up to my home town of Geraldton,” he said

The forward also posted a highlights and bloopers reel on his Instagram to look back on his career.

Cripps spent his first two seasons playing for St Kilda before heading back to his native Western Australia in 2013.

He established himself as the side’s premier small forward, barely missing a game between 2014 and 2018, playing in both grand finals.

It leaves midfield veteran Elliot Yeo, co-captain Liam Duggan and reinvented defender turned pressure forward Tom Cole as the last premiership players at the club.