Triple Premiership Tiger Jason Castagna Retires

Jason Castagna, a three-time Richmond Premiership forward, decided to quit at the age of 26 after deciding he no longer loved the sport. Only 17 days before Richmond's home opener against Carlton at the MCG, Castagna told his teammates of his choice. In a statement, Castagna stated, "I adore everything about this club and everyone in it, which has been the thing that has made my decision the toughest." Since the first day I came through these doors and for years before that, I have given my all to this game because it is so intellectually and physically taxing. "Now that I can't offer the same intensity, it has made me realise that if I just coasted through and didn't give it my best till the finish, it would be letting the lads and the club down, which has led me to this call."  Castagna made his debut in 2016 and scored 127 goals in 134 games after being selected with the 29th overall choice in the 2014 rookie draught. Despite beginning his AFL career as a spry defender, Castagna made his mark as a ferocious forward in his third season, revolutionising the way Damien Hardwick's team played in the record-breaking 2017 title campaign. He and his talented colleague Dustin Martin were the only Tigers to score 25 or more goals. Such was his consistency throughout that time span that he played in each of the 2017–18, 2018–19, and 2019–20 seasons. Castagna expressed his thanks for the contacts he had formed while taking part in the 2017 flag, 2019 flag, and 2020 flag. One of my favourite aspects of playing AFL football has been getting to warm up on the MCG each week and representing my family by wearing the Castagna name on my back. I'll always be happy about that, he declared. "I will always have a connection to this group and the former players I spent time with here, and I am very appreciative of that."  Castagna scored a career-high 27 goals in 2019, placing him among the top 10 candidates for the Jack Dyer Medal. In the 84-point rout of GWS, he also put up a good but erratic grand final performance, accumulating 20 disposals and being a constant threat to score while accruing 0.5 and six marks. Throughout his 134 appearances at Richmond, Jason has "been the ultimate teammate,"  according to Richmond football manager Blair Hartley. "Jason is very unselfish and conducted himself with the least amount of fuss."  He set the tone by applying pressure in the forward half of the field by working hard, showing tenacity, and having the capacity to win or lose games for the squad.