Sam Docherty says he was determined to bow out of the AFL on his own terms after suffering plenty of on and off-field heartbreak in recent seasons.

Docherty will play his 184th and final game of his storied career when Carlton takes on Hawthorn this Thursday night.

The 31-year-old has become one of the most revered figures in the game after twice recovering from cancer and battling back from multiple ACL injuries.

Press PLAY to hear Sam Docherty’s FULL interview on 3AW after he announced his retirement 

“I always wanted to go out on my own terms,” he told Wide World of Sports.

“It’s been a pretty tough month for the footy club; we’ve had some heavy losses. That’s kind of worn me down a little bit.”

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