RETIRED Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell says he came close to pursuing his AFL career at another club after being told he would not be offered another contract by the Hawks.
 
Sewell bid an emotion-charged farewell at Hawthorn's club's best and fairest dinner on October 4, a week after he was left out of the Hawks' triumphant Grand Final team.
 
Before that, the dual-premiership Hawk, who played his 200th and final match in Hawthorn's qualifying final victory over arch-rival Geelong, strongly considered continuing his career at another club.
 
"It was certainly pretty serious. I guess I wanted to make sure that I was aware of all the options and I could sit down with it all on the table and I could make a considered decision when the time was right," Sewell told 3AW.
 
"The way it all stacked up I wasn't interested in playing anywhere else.
 
"There were a couple of informal chats I guess, but more feeling each other out in terms of the seriousness of what it would look like."
 
Sewell said in his farewell speech that some of the anguish of missing out on a third flag was eased by the manner of Hawthorn's 63-point destruction of the Sydney Swans on Grand Final day.
 
However, the 2007 Peter Crimmins medallist still felt disconnected watching his teammates on the dais during the post-match celebrations.
 
"Automatically there's just a disconnect between the group. It's just so clear-cut," he said.
 
"The 22 guys that played, they share and experience the most wonderful feelings, and they're so obviously a part of it as the guys that are … obviously not a part of it.
 
"Down in the rooms afterwards you're just a wallflower standing there watching it all.
 
"Fortunately, in a sense I guess, I've been there before and I know what that feeling's like which is pretty special. But to stand on the other side of events, yeah it was tough."
 
The 30-year-old recently returned from an overseas holiday and has plans for further travel while he figures out which career path to choose for his post-football life.
 
"I'm going to take my time and try to work out what my next career is going to be, I guess. I'll travel for a little bit next year," he said.
 
"I'll hopefully do a bit of media and just sort of sit back and I guess try to enjoy footy again.
 
"But in terms of that timeline and how that progresses, I'm not exactly sure how it's going to look."