Dempster will retire today

[Sainternist]

How did he get the nickname, Shinna? Does anyone have the story?

Did sneak the odd kick into his opponents' shins?

Hardly heard that nickname go about. I mainly called him the Dumpster.

[White Winmar]

Well hasn't the injury fairy that treated us so well last year, turned nasty all of a sudden? This year has started off as a real stinker in the injury stakes. The omens for this week are not good.

[WellardSaint]

Well hasn't the injury fairy that treated us so well last year, turned nasty all of a sudden? This year has started off as a real stinker in the injury stakes. The omens for this week are not good.

It's not only our players, either.
We've hurt Hayden Kennedy's pride as well (director of umpire/cheating)
No doubt he'll bounce back this weekend.
His intrepid troupe will gather an extra 18 (illegal) free kicks from our team.
You just cannot keep a good man down

[saintbrat]

1116 SEN Footy‏Verified account @SENfooty

JUST IN | The Herald Sun reports Sean Dempster has retired immediately, due to ongoing concussion fears


SEN 1116‏Verified account @SENNews

JUST IN | The Herald Sun reports Sean Dempster has retired immediately, due to ongoing concussion fears

Sportsday Retweeted
Mitch Cleary‏ @cleary_mitch

BREAKING: Sean Dempster in today at @stkildafc to inform playing group he has played his last game for the club

he will be able top complete his science degree

[saintbrat]

Club news article
http://www.saints.com.au/news/2017-04-0 ... mily-first


Stalwart St Kilda defender Sean Dempster says he decided to call time on his distinguished career because he wasn’t prepared to put himself at risk of further injury following his most recent head knock in the JLT Community Series.

Having suffered from a handful of concussions over his 222-game career, the All-Australian defender has undergone medical assessment in recent weeks to determine the potential long-term impact of further head knocks, but says the decision came down to what was best for him and his family.

“I copped a little head knock and given my history over my career of receiving quite a few head knocks I’ve decided that it’s a risk that’s too great for me, especially now that I’ve got a young family, it’s more than just worrying about myself it’s what it means to my wife and my young daughter,” Dempster told saints.com.au on Thursday.

“For the last couple of weeks the club has given me some time to myself and some time to go and get some independent testing done, which I’m still going through at the moment and is an ongoing assessment. The testing had nothing to do with my want to retire; I know it’s the best thing to do for me and my family.”

Dempster expressed his disappointment at how the media had reported his situation and questioned his character, dismissing any suggestion that there is any resentment between him and the club.

“It wasn’t what’s been reported in the media that I was upset with the club about not being picked for Round 1 and that there was all this angst and hate between me and the club,” Dempster said.

“I’m quite a quiet person so for it to be played out in the media was a bit hard for me to deal with. I’ve been lucky enough to go through 13 or 14 years as pretty much an unknown player, which I’ve been pretty happy with.

“For my character to be questioned a bit was upsetting for me, it was a little bit hard to deal with. I felt like I had to get on the front foot and address the situation earlier than I planned.

“It was purely a decision for me and my family and it’s the way I’ve decided to go and I’m pretty comfortable with my decision.”

After beginning his career at Sydney as a father-son recruit, where he went on to play in a premiership in 2005, Dempster was traded to the Saints at the end of 2007 as part of a package deal with goalsneak Adam Schneider.

Across nine seasons at St Kilda, Dempster played 168 games in red, white and black, including the 2009 and 2010 grand finals. He earned All-Australian selection in 2012 and finished 3rd in the Trevor Barker Award four times in the space of five years in a stunning period of consistency.

Dempster said he will be eternally grateful for the opportunity the Saints provided him over nearly a decade in Moorabbin first and then Seaford.

“I’ll be forever grateful for St Kilda. I spent the first few years of my career at the Swans as very much a fringe player,” he said.

“The opportunity St Kilda has given me to grow as a footballer has been enormous. I don’t think my career would have been half as long if it wasn’t for my move down here.

“Football has been my something great and the club has given me the opportunity over ten years to contribute to something great. I’ll be forever grateful, I’ve met some wonderful people, had some wonderful opportunities.

“We’ve played in a few grand finals, unfortunately we didn’t get the results we were after but the friendships and bonds you build over those periods you’re quite successful and you play a lot of football together is something I’ll cherish forever.”

[Bluthy]

Ah. Feel sad now. Totally understandable decision after copping another bad head knock. Saftey first. What a great career including a premiership medal.

The two things I associate most about Demps:

1) Amazing courage and nothing less than an honest effort every single time. Never saw him put in a short step. Seeing him back back into packs on the backline getting crunched by big forwards was a regular occurrence and he would often just bounce up when he could have milked it more. You never questioned his efforts when he walked off the field. Great role model for those around him.

2) His surprising core strength. There was not an inch of fat on him and he could somehow go toe to toe with the biggest, baddest power forwards on the block, holding his ground shockingly well. I'm surprised more defenders don't work on that core strength that Demps had as a secret weapon. Maybe they do but Demps was just a freak.

He developed into a really good play-reading deep defender, being rock solid back there, taking some great marks and saving our bacon on multiple occasions. Feels a bit naked not to have his trusty hands out there.

[WellardSaint]

I'm going onto the Footy Show facebook page and asking Barrett why he won't apologise for his speculation.

[MilneyMagic]

Not sure what time, but this will happen today

It's now 4:20 AEST
and no word from the club.
Is the OP really Damian Barrett?

Alas I'm not mate, just wasn't sure when we'd break the news

[WellardSaint]

Not sure what time, but this will happen today

It's now 4:20 AEST
and no word from the club.
Is the OP really Damian Barrett?

Alas I'm not mate, just wasn't sure when we'd break the news

Sorry for ever doubting you,
it's just that you joined 10 years ago and haven't posted much.
You did the right thing letting the club release a statement.
Every Saints fan wishes Sean the best, in fact Swans fans too.
Good luck to the bloke, all the best.

[Viking3]

Ah. Feel sad now. Totally understandable decision after copping another bad head knock. Saftey first. What a great career including a premiership medal.

The two things I associate most about Demps:

1) Amazing courage and nothing less than an honest effort every single time. Never saw him put in a short step. Seeing him back back into packs on the backline getting crunched by big forwards was a regular occurrence and he would often just bounce up when he could have milked it more. You never questioned his efforts when he walked off the field. Great role model for those around him.

2) His surprising core strength. There was not an inch of fat on him and he could somehow go toe to toe with the biggest, baddest power forwards on the block, holding his ground shockingly well. I'm surprised more defenders don't work on that core strength that Demps had as a secret weapon. Maybe they do but Demps was just a freak.

He developed into a really good play-reading deep defender, being rock solid back there, taking some great marks and saving our bacon on multiple occasions. Feels a bit naked not to have his trusty hands out there.

Was thinking of what to say but you did it very eloquently for me! Cheers.
An absolute model of consistency. Somewhat similar (not in stature obviously) to Burkey. You always knew what you were going to get. Nothing short of 100%.
Farewell and thank you.

[bigred]

Pretty damn good player.

Will be missed and I wish him very well on the next part of his life.

[Playon]

Good luck to Dempster, A disappointing end. A great player and will be missed.
But as a father I know he made the right choice, and wish him well in the future,

[Linton Lodger]

Thank you and good luck to a gun and warrior. Ever since he set foot in the place he's been Mr Realible and a cornerstone of our defence. Well done Dumpster.

[saynta]

Thanks for nothing you prick Nathan Krakouer.

You ended the career of a player who is ten times the man you will ever be.

It was a cheap and cowardly shot.

[spert]

A great player for the club- I hope he goes on to bigger things

[saintbrat]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2017-04-0 ... very-stone

In the moments after announcing his retirement to the playing group on Thursday, Dempster told saints.com.au that he knew his own limitations and knew his only way to succeed at the highest level was to ensure he left no stone unturned with his preparation. And given his remarkable consistency, he must have turned over every single stone.

“I was never the most confident with calling myself a footballer or I suppose with my skillset. My nickname is ‘Shinner’ for a reason; my skills aren’t probably the best,” Dempster told saints.com.au on Thursday after announcing his retirement.

“I always knew that I had to have something non-skill related that I could do better than anyone else and I found out along the way that was your professionalism; how you look after yourself; what you do when you’re away from the club; what you eat and what you drink; how much sleep you get.

“Everything that encompasses a footballer that isn’t skills related I thought you know what, I can be the best at that. I might be the worst kick of the football, given my nickname, but that’s something I can own, something that I can be the best at.

“It then gave me a lot of confidence going into games that I’d done all this work, all this preparation, I can now just go out and play I don’t have any demons knocking at the door saying I haven’t done all the work. That’s something that I’ve always prided myself on because it doesn’t take any skill just hard work and how much you want it.”

[saintbrat]

Video's up on saints.com
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2017-04- ... ays-thanks
Thanks to fans

Thoughts on retiring
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2017-04- ... n-retiring

Speaking to team
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2017-04- ... er-retires

[Bernard Shakey]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2017-04-0 ... very-stone

In the moments after announcing his retirement to the playing group on Thursday, Dempster told saints.com.au that he knew his own limitations and knew his only way to succeed at the highest level was to ensure he left no stone unturned with his preparation. And given his remarkable consistency, he must have turned over every single stone.

“I was never the most confident with calling myself a footballer or I suppose with my skillset. My nickname is ‘Shinner’ for a reason; my skills aren’t probably the best,” Dempster told saints.com.au on Thursday after announcing his retirement.

“I always knew that I had to have something non-skill related that I could do better than anyone else and I found out along the way that was your professionalism; how you look after yourself; what you do when you’re away from the club; what you eat and what you drink; how much sleep you get.

“Everything that encompasses a footballer that isn’t skills related I thought you know what, I can be the best at that. I might be the worst kick of the football, given my nickname, but that’s something I can own, something that I can be the best at.

“It then gave me a lot of confidence going into games that I’d done all this work, all this preparation, I can now just go out and play I don’t have any demons knocking at the door saying I haven’t done all the work. That’s something that I’ve always prided myself on because it doesn’t take any skill just hard work and how much you want it.”

Says everything about the man.

Thanks Shinner!

[Bruce G McAbee]

Thank you Sean and may your future be bright. A great team man who made the most of his ability and then some. Have enjoyed watching you play immensely.

[saintbrat]

according to his teammates
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/t ... 1e1dd252f7

For Riewoldt, Dempster’s professionalism drives him on a daily basis.

“He’s been a continuous source of inspiration for me around the professionalism side of things,” Riewoldt said. “Diet has been a big one for me and a lot of it has been on the back of the conversations with Sean.

“He’s the best I’ve seen in my time in footy.

“I’m sure when he finishes footy he is going to be one of those guys that goes and does the ‘Tough Mudders’ and the triathlons and fun runs for fun.

“He is so immaculate on every level that socially, when we finish footy, I’m not sure we are going to be able to hang out because he will just make us all look bad.”

[Trev from the Bush]

Good player but was finished anyway

Rack off

[saintbrat]

his video package
http://www.saints.com.au/video/2017-04- ... ofessional

[silverhalo]

Thanks Shinner for the fantastic service you have given this club, one of the most selfless and courageous players I've ever seen, you've been a ripper.
For any aspiring young players, this guy is your ultimate role model; he may not have been the most talented player that's gone around but did EVERYTHING right on and off the field.

To the Saints hierarchy, we need to keep him involved at the club in an official capacity; if he has the desire to coach, I have no doubt that he will be a brilliant coach. These tough dour defenders seem to be the ones that succeed, add to that his level of professionalism and integrity and you've got a winner.

All the best Shinner and thanks for the memories.

[saintbrat]

To the Saints hierarchy, we need to keep him involved at the club in an official capacity; if he has the desire to coach, I have no doubt that he will be a brilliant coach. These tough dour defenders seem to be the ones that succeed, add to that his level of professionalism and integrity and you've got a winner.

he intimated when speaking to the player he would do as Tom Curren is and work with Josh Low - fitness with some individuals .

His forte is fitness and has or is completing a science degree so would see him going into that field

[Enrico_Misso]

Mr Cool
Was always calm and reliable down back.
Bit like Kenny Sheldon was 25 years ago.