Port Adelaide defender Rory Atkins announced his retirement from AFL football on Tuesday, with the 31-year-old to hang up the boots at the end of the season.

Atkins looked back on his career fondly, after arriving at Port Adelaide in the 2024 trade period following four years at the Gold Coast and eight seasons at Adelaide.

With 13 years and 140 AFL games to his name so far, Atkins spoke with the Adelaide media about his football journey, and what he’ll miss.

Atkins on telling the boys about his retirement
“Yeah, it went well. When the room goes quiet and you realise all the eyes are on you, it took me a while to get going, mumbled and stumbled through a bit of it, but I got there in the end. It was special.”

Atkins on making the decision to retire
“I have been thinking that it may be on the cards for a little while now, just about the journey and what it's taken for me to get here, from getting to Adelaide to start off with, but then also through my time, throughout my AFL career. It’s been a fun ride. I wouldn't change it.”

Atkins on looking back on his career
“I do look back on it fondly. I won't lie, the last five years have been tough, being in and out. It's probably the hardest place to be in football, on the fringe, but I look back on it with immense pride, with my time in Adelaide as well, having eight years there, I made some great friends, played in some great teams, made some great memories. And then our time up on the Gold Coast as well. Gold Coast didn't need to get me up there. We brought our daughter into the world up there, and made some great friends. It's a place that will hold a special place in our hearts and our lives. And then the Port Adelaide Football Club for getting me back as well, and bringing my family closer together, and allowing us to be back around our nearest and dearest, and being a part of a proud footy club as well. So these last 12 months have been great also.”

Atkins on how fast the time has gone
“It does go so quick. I know it is cliche, but I was saying to the guys this morning, I remember my first press conference getting into Adelaide, in the first week or second week…and to then be 13 years on, and even playing my first game,10 years ago, and that feels like yesterday. And yet, I remember that that moment quite vividly, with my family being in the rooms, walking down the race that was the first Showdown, post Phil Walsh passing away as well. So that was a massive thing for that to be 10 years ago, it feels like yesterday.”

Atkins on what he’s learned over the last few years
“(Resilience) is probably what it has taught me. I'm tough. Like it's the hardest place to be in football, on the fringe. I've been so far out of the side, you don't need to worry about it. I've been so far in the side that you just worry about what you’ve got to do to play well. And the last five years, you've been anxiously waiting by the phone or in the locker room with a tap on the shoulder, whether you're in or out. So it has taken a lot. I’ve done a lot of work on myself to be able to deal with that. But one thing I'm super proud of is those last five years, how I have held myself in the manner I have, and the person I've been throughout all that, because I know a lot of people would have thrown it in. It has been tough, but I've learned a lot of things about myself that I'll hold with me forever and will hold me in great stead the rest of my life.”

Atkins on finishing his career back in SA
“Yeah, it's been great, being around all my closest mates and the guys I did a lot of growing up with back here, around Georgia's family, and a closer trip for all my family to get over as well. I would have liked to play a bit more AFL, but still to get around a new bunch of guys, they've been so accommodating, and I've loved getting amongst this group, and they've embraced me with open arms. So the last 12 months have been great. I've thoroughly enjoyed this year, and there's still four weeks to go and I'm looking forward to finishing off on the right note.”

Atkins on playing just two AFL games so far this year
“Oh, it's circumstantial. I would have liked the year to go a bit differently, and no doubt the club would have as well. So we are in a different position that we might have thought we would have been in the start of the year. So that happens though, it's footy. I didn't come here with any promises from either side. Some people may consider me lucky to have played two games. So I've enjoyed those two games, and hopefully there's a couple more by the end of the year. You're not promised anything in this game, and I've just enjoyed coming in here each week. And as the season has gone on, it looked like this might have been on the cards, it really makes you appreciate, look, I've only got four main trainings to go, four games, and I've been able to take that in the last couple of weeks.”

Atkins on whether he hopes to play more AFL before the season is through
“That would be nice. And there is a bit of sentiment in footy. But if it doesn't happen, there's still a pulse in the SANFL season. So whether that's AFL or the SANFL, it's still quite possible for us to make finals (in the SANFL), and then the show will go on, week by week after that. So however that looks and wherever I'm playing, I'm just looking forward to making the most of it with this group that I enjoy being around.”

Atkins on his grand final appearance in 2017
“More so instead of looking back on the game because it wasn't so great being out there, just that year in general, I touched on it this morning with everyone in the room, that team was something special, and some of my nearest and dearest friends were in that side as well, and great memories made. And that prelim against Geelong to get in as well, that's probably my favourite game I've ever played in, as well as my debut. So just that feeling knowing that you were going into that game, and then the week leading up to the grand final, and that team, it was something quite special, and we had something special there. And it's something that I'm sure in due time, I'll look back on and realise that was quite a special time in my football career.”

Atkins on Jack Lukosius’ unfortunate injury luck this year
“Jack's a great player. I've got no doubt he can come in and contribute. It's quite unfortunate for the injuries that he's had, but that's why I think our game’s the toughest game in the world. Like nothing's promised, every week, as we see with the parity in the competition at the moment, there are no easy games, it's such a tough game to get yourself up for week to week. And as we've seen with Jack, he's struggling to do that from time to time. When he's been out there, he's played some really good games. He's kicking some good bags of goals, and he'll bounce back, the character he is, I'm sure. He's a great player, and that's why the club got him here. I'm sure we'll see his talents come to the forefront in the near future.”

Atkins on his future
“I have (thought about it). There haven’t been too many days that go past that I haven't thought about what is next. Been trying to keep on the front foot with all that, done a bit of media stuff, been getting on the radio, dabbled in a bit of coaching, but at this point in time, just really looking forward to the next four weeks and enjoying my time here, because you are a long time retired, and I know there'll be a day that I look back and just wish that I’m in here, knocking about with my best mates. So yeah, the next short amount of time will just be focusing on having fun in here. Yeah (a podcast) could be on the cards! May need a couple of sponsors for that. So if anyone's out there, slide into the DMs! But, yeah, who knows. There's plenty of options.”

Atkins on his coaches over his career
“Yeah, that's right, I touched on it this morning. I've actually had nine head coaches, if you include interim so not too many people get that opportunity to see that many ideas, that many coaching styles. And that's something that I'll take with me. Every coach that I've had has had their own unique coaching style, and with Kenny, he's a great motivator, and I've loved seeing the way he goes about it. Being on the other side a couple times, and how he's been really able to fire the boys up, I could see that now firsthand, which has been great to see, and in the games that I have played, I've loved running out for him, and hopefully I can do that again."