GEELONG defender Jared Rivers has given the strongest indication yet that he will retire at the end of this season.
The 31-year-old defender told K-Rock on the weekend he was determined to enjoy the rest of the season as much as he could because it was likely to be his last.
"At this stage I'm 90 per cent sure this will be my last year and, knowing that in my head, mentally it's given me the last seven weeks to enjoy it as much as I can and enjoy the lifestyle," Rivers said.
Rivers missed last week's clash against the Western Bulldogs with a knee injury and faces a test to be available for selection to play against Greater Western Sydney this Saturday.
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He said he was aware he needed seven games to reach the 200-game milestone.
"It’s a big thing for some people, and for me, who has had an up and down career with injuries and also playing at two different clubs, I’d love to try and get to 200," Rivers said.
"It’s been a battle, but there’s still a chance to get there and it would be a proud moment for me."
He also said the Cats were determined to embrace the challenge ahead of them for the remainder of the season to finish high up on the ladder.
"Geelong is a proud footy club and there is no way we will be dropping off."
Rivers played 150 games at Melbourne before joining the Cats at the start of 2013. He was an excellent performer in 2014 and finished sixth in the Cats best and fairest.
He has been solid in 11 games with the Cats this season and revealed he had a conversation recently with the club about what treatment he might need at the end of the season.
"I spoke to the doc a couple of weeks ago and mapped out a bit of a plan [for] when I do finish up [about] what surgery I do need to try to help me. It's not that big a surgery I don't think," Rivers said.
Geelong has been an inconsistent performer this season after eight consecutive seasons in the finals, with three premierships won along the way.
The Cats have a number of experienced players coming out of contract at the end of 2015.
