The demands of farming and a desire not to miss too much of the early years of his young children's life has seen the Northern Jets star give the game away.

"I've taken on more of the farm and I struggle to see the kids at the best of times. Throw footy training in on top of that and I'll never see them, so something had to give and that was footy," Haddrill said.

The midfielder had told the club before Christmas that football wasn't on his radar for this year. The Jets left him be and hoped for a change of heart.

But even three weeks out from the season, he's not missing it and said his love for the sport had waned.

"The last half a dozen years it's been a bit of a drag... I'd rather do other things now," he said.

"Every now and then talking to people, you think I could keep playing... but it's a personal decision of mine that I don't want to play anymore and if you don't have the drive or desire I don't think you're playing your best footy so you may as well not bother."

It's a remarkable call from a player who won two league medals (2017 and 2019) and four club best-and-fairests at the Jets... the first at age 18, in 2012, and the fourth last year when he helped propel the Jets towards (sadly non-existent) finals.

Haddrill certainly goes out on top, with a second Player of the Year award last year and narrowly missing a third league medal when runner-up to East Wagga-Kooringal's Harry Fitzsimmons in the Clear Medal.

Amazingly, it's the same record as his father, Terry who won four b-and-fs, two Gammage Medals and was also second in a league medal count.

"It would've been nice to get one more so I could've had it over Dad," Haddrill said.

He even took out the famous Mirrool Silo Kick, barefoot. But Haddrill, who also coached the Jets in 2019, is happiest about another stat, having regularly fielded interest from elsewhere.

"It was an easier phone call this year than other years, where I've had to tell them (clubs) that I'm staying at the Jets. This year I just said, nah, not playing. It was short and sharp," he laughed.

"It's a good atmosphere at the Jets, that's why I always played there, I've always loved the club and wanted to do as much as I could to help them out...

"I'm glad I never went anywhere else. I can say I'm a one-club man and not many people can say that in this day and age."

Nick Hull won the first of his two Clear Medals in 2016 and the Hawks won the flag, with Chris Gordon in full flight.

They're two opposition players Haddrill rates highly from his decade of senior footy (along with exciting Marrar forward Brad Turner who he also says was hard to stop). He'll always envy the Hawks that premiership.

But 2016 was also a highlight, even if it ended with a preliminary final that slipped away in golden point extra time against Coleambally.

"We gave finals a good crack that year. I haven't played too many finals so it was good to go pretty deep that year," he said.

"It would've been good to at least play in a grand final. Losing the way we did was pretty hard, in overtime by a point... but I don't have any regrets."

As for teammates, it's been to go past Jets legends Chris Bell, Andrew Bonny and Ben Prentice, who he's loved playing with and learnt plenty from.

"All the fellas out there have been great, but I don't really have anything left to give so now is a good time to do it, when I've got young kids," he said.

Playing with cousins Jack and Sam Fisher has also been a highlight, and Sam deserves a mention as an opponent too in his premiership years at Temora.

"He was just riding on the back of them," Haddrill joked. "No, he's a good player old Sambo... I had the job of playing on him a lot in those days and had a few good duels. It was good when he finally came home.

"He's definitely a good teammate to have and a cool, calm head."

US baseball's hall of famer Tommy Lasorda famously said, "There are three kinds of people in this world: people who make it happen, people who watch it happen, and people who wonder what happened."

Haddrill was the first type.

Spectators were the second and, sometimes, players and spectators alike were the third.

Now, many football followers may find themselves there too... wondering what just happened.

"I'm comfortable with the decision. You see the old fellas walking around and they can hardly do anything. I've had my share of injuries but I'm still pretty fit so now's a good time to give it up," Haddrill said.

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