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One of the Tasmania's finest AFL servants announced his retirement on Friday after 287 games [the fourth most by a Tasmanian] for Hawthorn and Brisbane and four premierships with the Hawks, with the 33-year-old from Devonport one of four players from his home state with that many premiership medallions.
"I am done mentally and physically and just ready to move on to do something else,'' an emotional Birchall said.
"It is mixed feelings really, but I do know it is the right decision for me and the club going forward, so I am really content and happy with this."
The former St Brendan-Shaw College student and Devonport Football Club product played 248 games for Hawthorn after being drafted with the 14th pick in the 2005 national draft, a journey that started in his home state at Launceston's UTAS Stadium [or Aurora Stadium as it was known back then] in the opening round of 2006.
Known for his precise skills by foot, he made the half-back flank his own, and was a key contributor to the 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2015 flags the Hawks won under the guidance of Alastair Clarkson.
Durability was once also a trademark before injury restricted him to eight games in a three year period, which helped entice him to make a fresh start at Brisbane under fellow Tasmanian Chris Fagan, where he managed 39 games in two seasons.
"I always felt this would be my last year,'' he said.
"My partner [Brittany] and I are expecting a little baby boy at the end of the year so I just felt the timing was right.
"If you had of told me that when I had got up here I would play two full seasons I would have taken that, so I do think it is time for me to move on and give some of these young Lions players a chance to grow and give them the chance to take that half-back spot and make it their own.
"While I felt I was underdone after my last year at the Hawks, I still felt like I could contribute and had a little bit more left in the tank and I am so thankful that Brisbane and Fages gave me the opportunity to extend my career.
"But the body is starting to slow down a bit and it has been mentally quite tough over the past four or five years and that has started to take a toll, so that is why this feels right."
Birchall said he locked in the decision with Fagan on Monday, following Brisbane's dramatic semi-final loss to the Western Bulldogs, having brought up the idea with him after the round 23 win over West Coast, and was thankful for the support of his coach.
Telling his teammates on Friday morning was the hardest part, he admitted, as he had been able to keep his emotions in check up until that point.
While the time to look back and reflect on his on-field achievements was still to come [that will happen in a week or so when things calm down a bit], he did describe his career as an "amazing journey".
"I hope I'm remembered as someone that just put the team first, a selfless player that was reliable and consistent, someone that you could rely on to do a job each week,'' he said.
"I was nothing flash really, just a good reliable hard working teammate who just tried to get the best out of himself.
"I don't know how we bloody did it to be honest though, as if you had told me I would end up being a four-time premiership player [when he was drafted], I would have laughed at you.
"I just had a dream as a kid of just playing AFL footy and I was passionate and loved the game and just wanted to get the best out of myself.
"I was really fortunate at the Hawks that I got an opportunity early on, and that was partly to do where we were at as a footy club, as we were young and an up and coming side who gave opportunities to younger players, and I was fortunate enough to make the most of that and it went from there."
He said he had an equal amount of affection for both his clubs, and would be forever thankful for Hawthorn for giving him his initial opportunity and allowing him to taste the on-field success, and for Brisbane for giving him a second chance to end things on his own terms.
Fagan was full of praise for Birchall on Friday.
"I think the thing that stood out to me about Birch was his record in finals, he always rose to the occasion in big games and was just a superb finals performer,'' Fagan said.
"He averaged 24 possessions a game in four grand finals for the Hawks, to be able to produce those numbers on the biggest stage puts him in elite company.''
But the biggest thing Birchall will miss? Playing in his home state, saying UTAS Stadium was his favourite ground, one he graced as an AFL player on 41 occasions.
Birchall thanked all the support he got from his home state during his time in the AFL, as well as "every development coach I came across" in Tasmania before being drafted.
His biggest supporters were parents Cathy and Ian, whose presence had made the whole experience easier.
Birchall, a member of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame, was also an All-Australian in 2012, a Rising Star nominee in 2006 and played in the International Rules series in 2014 and 2015.
He said the idea of staying involved in football appealed to him, but now was not the time to make that call.