BERNIE Vince will retire at the end of the 2018 AFL season, after a decorated career with Adelaide Crows and Melbourne.

The 32-year-old has played 229 AFL games – 129 with the Crows from 2006-13 and 100 with the Demons from 2014-18 – and will be desperate to add to his game tally, as he continues his rehabilitation from an AC joint injury.

Vince suffered the injury playing for Casey Demons in the VFL – the round 21 AFL equivalent – and has since been sidelined.

He has played 17 matches for Melbourne this season, including his 100^th and most recent game for the Demons against Gold Coast Suns in round 20 at the MCG.

Depending on Melbourne and Casey’s finals campaign, Vince could play again this season.

However, he will finish up at the end of the 2018 season.

General manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said Vince had made a genuine impact in his time at the club.

“Today (Thursday) Bernie told his teammates that he’s going to retire at the end of the year. He has been a significant contributor to Melbourne Football Club in the five years he’s been at the club,” he told Melbourne Media. 

“When we first discussed bringing him over from Adelaide, we knew parts of what we were getting – a very talented footballer, but we’ve got more than we thought we would. What he has brought is his competitiveness – he’s competitive with everything he does – and people would see that on the field. The balance that he brings with his competitiveness is his off-field [traits] and that’s probably the reason why he’s not only been embraced by his teammates, but by all Melbourne fans.

“Bernie’s so humble and caring and he ‘gets it’ in terms of his responsibilities as an AFL footballer. He has brought a balance between being super competitive and giving everything on the field – and appreciating the role that he plays as a player off the field.”

Originally drafted from CMS Crows/Woodville-West Torrens by Adelaide at selection No.32 in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft, Vince made his AFL debut for the Crows against Collingwood at Etihad Stadium in 2006.

On debut against the Magpies in 2006

He won Adelaide’s club champion award – the Malcolm Blight Medal – in 2009 and represented Australia in the International Rules Series against Ireland in 2011.

In 2012, he played in Adelaide’s pre-season premiership and won the Michael Tuck Medal for best-on-ground.

Vince crossed to Melbourne at the end of the 2013 AFL season and made his debut for Melbourne in round one, 2014 against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.

In his first year with the Demons, he finished third in Melbourne’s best and fairest award.

In 2015, he won the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy.

Celebrating a goal in his 2015 Best & Fairest season (Photo: Michael Willson)

Mahoney said Vince had played a crucial part in helping the Demons rise to the finals.

“He has had a significant impact for our club along this journey, which we started to rebuild back in 2013. His impact is going to last beyond when he retires at the end of the year,” he said.

“We spoke to Bernie at the end of last year about what 2018 may look like. We asked him if he was prepared to play on, without the guarantee of a game every week, and that he may have to play some games in the VFL, and he’d be picked on form.

“He told us that he’d be prepared to do that and we’ve already seen the way he’s attacked this year – the two times that he was omitted from the side, he went to Casey with a great attitude and gave everything he had, which was true to his word.

“He is attacking rehab from an AC injury the same way now, he is ahead of schedule and giving himself every opportunity to be available – if required, which again sums up his attitude.”

Mahoney said Vince’s family had also played a big part at the club.

“When we recruited Bernie, we recruited the whole Vince family. They’re a terrific football family. His parents, Tim and Serena, and sisters hardly miss a game and they’ve been a terrific part of the club. We are so proud of the way they’ve embraced the Melbourne Football Club and we’ve loved having them as being part of us,” he said.

But Mahoney was optimistic Vince could remain at Melbourne in some capacity.

“We have started initial discussions with Bernie about some potential roles next year at the footy club, as we don’t want him to leave or be forgotten. At the right times, those discussions will progress,” he said.

Vince has notched up 5,000 disposals in his AFL career, including a career-best 42-disposal performance for Melbourne against Collingwood at the MCG in round 12, 2016.

Four goals for Adelaide against West Coast Eagles in round 17, 2012 at AAMI Stadium was his best goalkicking effort.

One of Vince’s most impressive feats is the fact he is one of only six players in VFL/AFL history to have played 100 games or more with two clubs and won a best and fairest at two clubs. He joins Gary Dempsey, Gary Ablett Jnr, Peter Bell, Chris Judd and Tony McGuinness to have achieved this feat.