Steven Summerton retires

Booney · Post by **Booney** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:00 am

PORT ADELAIDE SANFL Captain Steven Summerton has announced he will retire from SANFL football at the end of the season.

Summerton, who played his 200th game in 2017 and was this year given SANFL life membership, made his league debut in 2006.

A hard-working, courageous and skilful player on the field, and a modest and loyal person off it, he embodied the Port Adelaide spirit throughout a 13-year career.

He’ll bow out after the Magpies take on North Adelaide at Prospect next weekend and go down as an all-time club great.

“I just feel it’s the right time for me,” he told portadelaidefc.com.au.

“Obviously things have changed a fair bit around the club, I’ve been through so many changes here - I’ve enjoyed some of them, some of them I haven’t enjoyed so much.

“Body-wise I still feel good, but I just feel it’s the right time to step away and I’m really excited about the next chapter in my life.”

A three-time Best and Fairest winner, Summerton has also won numerous fan favourite awards, a Fos Williams Memorial Trophy in 2013 as the club’s most dedicated player, and twice won the Max Porter Memorial Trophy as most consistent player.

The 30-year-old represented South Australia on three occasions and became Magpies captain in 2014.

He admits to still pinching himself when he sees his name on the famous number 1 locker, and realises those who have worn the revered jumper before him.

“It’s surreal,” he said.

“Every time I walk into the locker room and see my name up next to some of the greats of the club like Russell Ebert and Timmy Ginever and those sorts – not that I put myself in such a high standing with blokes like that,” he said.

“But it is a special feeling to see my name up there with guys like that.”

Summerton played at North Haven and Port Districts as a junior but was destined to represent the club he idolised.

Born to one-eyed Port Adelaide supporting parents, Sue and Lynn and having had his grandfather Ron Hall also play for the Magpies between 1945 and 1949, there was never any doubt in his mind that he too would don the prison bars.

His one regret – that he never joined the legions of premiership players at Port Adelaide.

“Obviously it would have been nice to cap off the career with a premiership or two,” he said.

“We got close a couple of times but that’s footy.

“Sometimes it can be a pretty brutal sport and you don’t always get what you deserve.

“That’d be the only regret but I’ve put my heart and soul into the club and the captaincy and I’ve made lifelong friends here.”

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas praised Summerton for his character, durability and contribution to the club.

“Steven will go down in the history of the club as a significant player and leader,” he said.

“He stuck by the club when many others chose to leave and he guided the Magpies through a difficult transition period.

“Steven has been a tireless servant of our club and for years has demonstrated the skill, courage and determination we expect of everyone who puts on the jumper.

“Unfortunately, he never won a premiership, but his leadership, loyalty and dedication to Port Adelaide cannot be questioned.

“Steven is a true Port Adelaide person and he will be forever respected and admired for his loyalty to our club. It goes without saying that he will always be part of the Port Adelaide family.”

Summerton plans to continue playing football, but could never bring himself to wear the colours of a another SANFL club.

Instead he hopes to play country football with some mates.

“I definitely still think I’ve got a few years of good footy left in me so I’ll be looking to have a kick somewhere next year and hopefully get a few good mates together and play together,” he said.

“I’ve always said I wanted to be a one club player and I always said to mum and dad jokingly as a kid that I wanted to play 200 games for Port Adelaide so I’ve ticked that box.

“I’ve absolutely loved my time here, it’s been a massive part of my life and hopefully it always will be.”

JK · Post by JK » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:18 am

Great footballer and bloke, best of luck to him

amber_fluid · Post by **amber_fluid** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:24 am

Good player and even better bloke.
Wouldn’t have been easy the last couple of years playing under the circumstances he did.

A good lad who only ever wanted to play footy for the Port Magpies.

Magellan · Post by **Magellan** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:46 am

I guess he's the last link to the 'old' magpies.

Well done, Steve. Been a great player, one of the comp's consistent high performers. The competition is poorer for his retirement.

whufc · Post by **whufc** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 10:28 am

His retirement probably sees the official death of the Magpies.

Post by **heater31** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:35 am

whufc wrote:His retirement probably sees the official death of the Magpies.

Nope they died in 2013.....

woodublieve12 · Post by **woodublieve12** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:36 am

heater31 wrote:
whufc wrote:His retirement probably sees the official death of the Magpies.
Nope they died in 2013.....

i thought it was 1997???

Booney · Post by **Booney** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:21 pm

I was hopeful there'd be enough common sense/decency in here to just acknowledge the player that Summerton has been in the SANFL, deep down inside I knew where it would descend too though.

saintal · Post by **saintal** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:46 pm

Ball magnet and very consistent. When I've thought of (on-field) Port during the past 15 years or so, Steve Summerton is the first player that springs to mind.

wild dog · Post by **wild dog** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:11 pm

Its players like Steven which makes me still want to go and watch SANFL. Dedication to playing top notch footy for the sake of the game and the club he represents. He did speak his mind when circumstances dictated that he should, and taking into account his family history, did the pragmatic thing, put his head down and played on. Congratulations on a great career, and good luck in the future.

LMA · Post by **LMA** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:18 pm

Booney wrote:I was hopeful there'd be enough common sense/decency in here to just acknowledge the player that Summerton has been in the SANFL, deep down inside I knew where it would descend too though.

To be honest Boon I was expecting it in the 2nd post.

A champ of a player and in a different time probably could of played at the highest level

robranisgod · Post by **robranisgod** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:08 pm

I go back to a game at Alberton between Port and North in April 2010. It was a shocking display of skills and North won 6 goals 14 to 7 goals 5.
Despite having about 20 players who at some stage of their career were or were going to be AFL listed Summerton was the only player to use the ball properly. He stood out like a beacon in that game and was clearly b.o.g. in a side that lost.
As an aside Ryswyk was North's best player. Both are retiring at the end of this season and deserve a proper send off at Prospect next week. Hopefully the SANFL does something to honour these 200+ game players. Something becoming very rare in the SANFL.

Post by **Dutchy** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:15 pm

Only 30, another sign of the times.

Grenville · Post by **Grenville** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:29 pm

A hallmark of a quality footballer is when an opposition supporter says they'd like to have him in their side. Summerton is one of those players, any club would've be more than happy to have had him running through the guts for them.

Post by **Wedgie** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:34 pm

Love his twitter work.

Jim05 · Post by **Jim05** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:37 pm

Wedgie wrote:Love his twitter work.

Has a better backflip than Honest Joe

No doubt a fantastic player but made his bed and didn’t get to taste Premiership glory because of it

therisingblues · Post by **therisingblues** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:39 pm

Booney wrote:I was hopeful there'd be enough common sense/decency in here to just acknowledge the player that Summerton has been in the SANFL, deep down inside I knew where it would descend too though.

Hardly descending to anything Boon.
All the more power to him that he should be acknowledged as the last true Magpie, unless you consider ignoring what has happened to the great club as the pinnacle of his career. I remember he made a very famous post on facebook where he did jsut the opposite.
I for one will definitely be remembering him as the last link to the old Magpies, if that offends anyone... well we've all been down this road before,,,, get over it!

Post by **Wedgie** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:45 pm

Jim05 wrote:
Wedgie wrote:Love his twitter work.

Has a better backflip than Honest Joe
No doubt a fantastic player but made his bed and didn’t get to taste Premiership glory because of it

Yep. $$$$ talks.

Jim05 · Post by **Jim05** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:48 pm

Wedgie wrote:
Jim05 wrote:
Wedgie wrote:Love his twitter work.

Has a better backflip than Honest Joe [emoji3]
No doubt a fantastic player but made his bed and didn’t get to taste Premiership glory because of it

Yep. $$$$ talks.

Kirkwood got $$$$ and flags [emoji3]
Summerton would have got plenty of decent offers from other sides surely

Grenville · Post by **Grenville** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:37 pm

Jim05 wrote:
Wedgie wrote:
Jim05 wrote:
Wedgie wrote:Love his twitter work.

Has a better backflip than Honest Joe [emoji3]
No doubt a fantastic player but made his bed and didn’t get to taste Premiership glory because of it

Yep. $$$$ talks.

Kirkwood got $$$$ and flags [emoji3]
Summerton would have got plenty of decent offers from other sides surely

The Walter Lindrum of the SANFL, they changed rules just because of him.