INAUGURAL Cat Danielle Higgins has announced her retirement from the AFLW. 

Higgins joined Geelong as an expansion signing ahead of the club's first season in 2019 after two years in its VFLW program and has played 24 AFLW matches over six seasons. A crafty small forward, Higgins kicked six goals and averaged nine disposals across her career. 

“I said, ‘I’ll play one year’, and two VFLW years later and four AFLW, I’m just so honoured to have worn the Hoops," Higgins told the club's website. 

“I’m looking forward to cheering our team on from the sidelines. I’m excited to watch the growth and development of our current players and the new players that will wear the Hoops. We are building something special, we have some very talented players and we are only going to get better and better.” 

Higgins joins West Coast's Courtney Guard as the first retirees this year. 

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