One of the VFL’s most decorated and respected players has decided to call it a day, with Geelong VFL captain and premiership player Dom Gleeson announcing his retirement from VFL football.

It has been a long and memorable journey for the product of the Koroit Football Club, who at TAC Cup level enjoyed two stellar years at the Geelong Falcons - where he was a member of the 2000 premiership winning side and won the 2001 VFL best & fairest award.

Gleeson was then recruited to the Carlton VFL side, but after only one season, a broken leg and 5 senior matches with the Blues, Gleeson made to the move to the Werribee Tigers where he would go on to win two best and fairest awards (2007 & 2010) and (at the time) set a new club games record. In 2010 Dom was named in the ‘VFL Team of the Year’.

At the end of the 2011 season, the Chirnside Park favourite son then made the tough decision to move down the highway and take up a playing assistant coach role at the Cattery. Over the next three years ‘Domma’ would become an integral part of the Geelong VFL program, play in two VFL Grand Finals and achieve the crowning glory of his career – a VFL premiership.

Perhaps the most significant testimony of Gleeson’s long career and his ‘team first’ attitude is the long list of captaincy roles he has fulfilled throughout his career.

Gleeson was named captain of the Geelong Falcons in 2001, Werribee Tigers between 2009 and 2011, the Victorian state representative side in 2013 and then took over the reins from premiership teammate Troy Selwood at Geelong this season.

While their will be no farewell finals series, Gleeson has enjoyed another fine season at VFL level. On Friday night he once again lead from the front in the 54 point victory over Essendon, collecting 26 disposals, making 6 tackles and kicking a goal.

Due to the uncertainty around the Cats finals hopes, there was no fanfare for Gleeson at the end of the match. Just the way he would like it.
In all Gleeson 31, played 197 VFL matches with Carlton (5), Werribee Tigers (137) and Geelong (55) and kicked 111 goals.

A small jumper, but big boots to fill.