Former Adelaide Crows Captain Rory Sloane Retires Due to Eye Injury Risk

Former Adelaide Crows captain Rory Sloane has announced his retirement from the AFL after 255 games over 16 seasons. Sloane cited the need to prioritize his long-term health, particularly after undergoing a second round of surgery on a detached retina earlier this year.

The 34-year-old, who served as co-captain alongside Taylor Walker in 2019 and was the sole captain from 2020 to 2022, had been attempting to make a comeback to the field by wearing protective glasses during training. However, the risk of sustaining another eye injury outweighed the desire to continue playing.

Sloane, a two-time winner of the Malcolm Blight Medal and an All Australian in 2016, expressed his immense love for the club and the profound impact that his football journey had on his personal life, including pivotal moments like marriage and parenthood intertwined with his time at Adelaide.

Adelaide Crows’ Coach Matthew Nicks lauded Sloane’s influential presence within the club, highlighting his unwavering positivity, courageous leadership, and genuine care for others. Nicks emphasized the significant loss the team will experience without Sloane’s on-field prowess and off-field character.

Sloane’s retirement marks the conclusion of an illustrious career marked by resilience, dedication, and a deep connection to the Adelaide Crows community. As he bids farewell to the playing field, Sloane expressed excitement for the future and the next chapter in his life beyond football.