For Andrew McLean, who played in front of 66,888 fans for St Kilda's second piece of silverware, bowing out in front of a couple of thousand could seem anti-climatic.
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But the heart and soul of Lilydale's second NTFA flag in three years days ago would not have it any other way.
The 46-year-old soaked up Mad Monday celebrations to the point that a comeback was even a sobering thought.
"I'm here today because I haven't decided," he said.
"But I am also here today because if it's my last one, I want to enjoy it and if it's not, I am here to keep celebrating and we'll go again next year."
The decision to call an end after three decades of senior football came weeks earlier.
McLean, who was best-on-ground in the 2017 NTFA grand final, was still a back-up ruckman off the bench to relieve Patrick Sulzberger.
"It only hit me when we played East Coast in a semi that I lost the edge," he said.
"It was a close game for three quarters and I wasn't enjoying it because of the closeness. I didn't want that competitiveness any more."
McLean carved out seven premierships: three at Lilydale including 2012, two at North Launceston, one at Old Brighton Grammarians and a Saints 1996 Ansett Cup.
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The last one followed a first - and his favourite - when the Northern Bombers extracted everything to win in 1995.
Teammates had suffered a "lot of losses in that era" and the club's struggling financial position had players not being able to be reimbursed.
Just six months later, the No.6 pick in AFL preseason draft was on centre stage.
"The word about that game was surreal," McLean said.
McLean was delisted after a year and six more St Kilda games, but he "loved every minute at the top level".
But he is still keen to play in the Relive the Rivalry fixture.
"I've achieved everything I can achieve regards to premierships, games and the level I wanted to play," he said.
But mention Lilydale to the big man, who still played State League until 38, and he cherishes what will be gone.
"Not just the players, but behind the scenes," he said.
"The presidents, the secretaries, the people like the trainers - they're the ones who are there every night, getting you strapped up and prepared for games. They're the ones that you truly miss."
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Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
