Darren Glass Biography

Darren Glass steps down as list manager of the Eagles on the eve of his second year in the role.

Darren Glass will return to West Coast in season 2020, with the premiership player and former club captain leaving his post as Hawthorn's backline coach to join the Eagles as their new list manager.

"In his time at Hawthorn, Darren has displayed a fantastic ability to build strong relationships right across the football department," Hawthorn footy boss Graham Wright said.

"Our players, in particular our defenders, have benefited immensely from his knowledge and leadership."

Former West Coast captain and four-time All Australian defender Darren Glass has joined Adelaide's coaching panel on a part-time basis.

He'll spend the bulk of his time in Adelaide during the pre-season but will remain based in Perth, albeit on-call, during the winter months.

The premiership player, who skippered the Eagles in 129 games, played under Adelaide's new senior coach Phil Walsh while he was an assistant at the Eagles from 2009-20013.

"I have admired the Crows from afar for many years and there is no doubt they have a talented playing list," Glass said.

"It is also a successful organisation and I can't wait to get across to Adelaide and meet everyone.

"I'm excited about stepping into a new football environment with such a strong focus on team work."

Darren Glass announces his retirement from AFL football effective immediately.

The West Coast captain revealed that his body has failed him after 15 seasons and 270 games.

"I've played my last game, so it's all over," Glass announced in front of family, friends, teammates, Eagles' staff and a large media contingent.

"With hindsight I've probably played a year too long. At the end of last season I was really confident I could play this year, but it hasn't panned out that way.

"I have been struggling to string a couple of games together this season and feel like it's time I step aside and let someone else come in.

"I'm not confident of playing any decent and good consistent footy in the back half of the year and feel like it's time to step aside."

Darren Glass concedes that 2014 could well be his last year as an AFL player.

"I've been saying that for the last three or four years that it could be and I really don't know. I wouldn't make a call until well into the season and see how things are tracking," Glass said.

"(We'll see) where the team is at (and) how I'm tracking mentally and physically. Of course the club has a say as well."

Darren Glass is set to become West Coast's longest-serving captain after the Eagles announced the 32-year-old as their leader for the eighth straight season.

"It has always been an honour to be captain of the West Coast Eagles and it is something I cherish," Glass said.

"Having said that, however, I have said in the last couple of years that if my teammates felt there was someone better to lead them, then I would step aside.

"I never take the position for granted and with my teammates deciding they wanted me to continue and subsequent endorsement from the match committee and board I am thrilled to captain the club again in 2014."

Darren Glass says it will be up to his teammates to decide if he should continue as captain in 2014.

"I'm quite happy with whatever the player group decides," Glass said.

"If it is time to step away and move on or someone else is better equipped to do the job then I happy with that as well."

Darren Glass will extend his career to a 15th season after re-signing with the Eagles to play on in 2014.

Eagles skipper Darren Glass says he will make a decision about his future over the next month.

"I'm enjoying my footy. The concern for me is, can I play good footy next year?" Glass said.

"That's what it's about. I want to make sure I can do that, I want to be really confident."

On the eve of Darren Glass' 250th game, West Coast coach John Worsfold says the veteran defender is among the best players he has been involved with at the club.

"He's up there with any of the best players that have played at this club," Worsfold said about Glass.

"I'm not going to say which one of them rates above the other. I'm happy for everyone to make their own call on that.

"Everyone sees different things. Glassy's record as a player stacks up with all our best guys."

Darren Glass says he is enjoying his footy but has not committed to playing on in 2014.

"I just love playing. I love competing. I love the game," Glass said.

"Physically I feel good. But things change and there's still a long way to go in the year.

"I haven't really thought about (playing on) to be honest, but I would assume perhaps we would talk at the end of the year."

In the midst of an ACC investigation into widespread drug use in Australian sport, West Coast skipper Darren Glass says his teammates only use supplements approved by their medical team.

"The club is very diligent and the players are only allowed to get supplements from the club that have been checked by our medical team," Glass said.

"We're educated that there are supplements on the market that contain illegal stuff, particularly the stuff from the States that you can buy online.

"We're educated hard on that stuff and we're only allowed to take supplements that the club has approved and they give us."

Darren Glass remains skipper of West Coast for 2013 with Beau Waters serving as vice-captain.

"Darren has said in the last couple of years that he would like to hand over the captaincy at some point, but all feel he has a tremendous amount to contribute in the role," Eagles coach John Worsfold said.

"Importantly, his teammates want him to remain as captain.

"Beau Waters continued to shine as a leader last year, winning All-Australian honours and recently being added as the players' representative on the AFL rules committee, showing his impact both on and off field."

Darren Glass says he is ready to step down as skipper if the Eagles have a better option.

"I'm happy with whatever the club decides," Glass said.

"If they want me to continue I'm happy to do that, and if the timing is right for someone else, I'm happy with that as well."

West Coast delays making a decision on their captain for 2013 until at least February as Darren Glass considers handing over the reins to a younger player.

Vice-captain Beau Waters has been groomed to take over the captaincy but questions remain over his durability.

"We know he won't necessarily always play every home-and-away game, but we're confident he'll play the majority of them and play them very well," West Coast football operations manager Neale Daniher said.

"Beau is very professional in his preparation. He plays the game as hard as anyone in the league, and his injuries are well documented, but we were rapt with the way he played last year."

Darren Glass is selected as captain of the 2012 All-Australian side but admits he may not continue as skipper of the Eagles in 2013.

"It's not really mine to hold on to or to give away," Glass said.

"The players vote on it every year, so it's up to them."

Jonathan Brown says old foe Darren Glass is one of the best defenders he's ever played against.

"I think he's been a fantastic leader for them, just goes about his business with no frills. You look forward to matching yourself against the great defenders," Brown said.

"He's definitely in the top handful of defenders I've played on - never gives up."

West Coast has re-signed captain Darren Glass and Victorian-born midfielder Matt Rosa.

"I would like to continue to play my role in the evolution of the squad for as long as I think I have something to contribute," Glass said.

"It's a pretty exciting time at the football club and we are all enjoying the development of the younger players, who have helped to re-energise the senior players."

West Coast's Adam Selwood says his skipper Darren Glass should put thoughts of retirement on hold.

"I think he's got at least two or three years of good footy left in him," Selwood said.

"It's a bit of a Dustin Fletcher type scenario - Eric Mackenzie can take the big key forward now and 'Glassy' can play that [looser] role.

"It makes it easier when you're up the top rather than down the bottom. You feel there's a window there for real success."

West Coast skipper Darren Glass has been advised not to travel to Sydney for the AFL season launch after a knock to the throat in the NAB Cup Grand Final. Glass should still be available for selection in Round 1 next week.

West Coast's top leadership structure will remain unchanged in 2012 with Darren Glass to continue as captain while Beau Waters serves as his deputy.

West Coast captain Darren Glass wins his third Club Champion Award on count-back ahead of Matt Priddis.

As Darren Glass gets ready to play in his 200th game, West Coast coach John Worsfold says Glass sits comfortably among the club's greatest defenders.

"He started in a team that had McIntosh and Jakovich still playing and played some games as a back-up defender or on the third tall forward," Worsfold said.

"When those guys retired, he stepped up and took up the key position role and has done it brilliantly for us. I think he holds up pretty well."

West Coast captain Darren Glass says if a better, younger captaincy option emerges in his absence he is happy to hands over the reins.

"If I'm not the best man for the job I don't want to be captain," Glass said.

"We'll probably assess that at the end of the season. We've got some terrific young guys (and) part of it will go on what the playing group thinks."

Eagles skipper Darren Glass will undergo season-ending groin surgery on Monday.

"He felt as though over the last two or three weeks as he's built up it's just got slightly sorer each week," Eagles coach John Worsfold said about Glass' failed attempts to rehabilitate from his injury.

"If he built up to get ready to play, it was just going to get sore again."

West Coast captain Darren Glass has won the club's 2009 best and fairest award ahead of Shannon Hurn and Mark LeCras on Friday night.

"I want to get back into pre-season," Glass said.

"I've got lots of things I can work on. I want to add to the offensive side of my game and just keep improving.

"There's no doubt this year we were better defensively as a team and I'm pretty confident we'll make improvements on that again."

Teammate Tyson Stenglein took the opportunity to announce his retirement after 102 games for the Eagles at the awards.

Darren Glass says it is down to the Eagles playing group to fix the worrying trend of going missing for crucial periods in matches.

Glass is named as captain of the West Coast Eagles, taking over from the recently departed Chris Judd.

"It's an absolute honour to be named captain of the West Coast Eagles," Glass said.

"With the recent departure of several senior players, I think we're moving into a new era as a club, and I'm very happy and very excited to be the leader of what I believe is a young and talented playing group."

Coach John Worsfold said Glass was the unanimous choice by the match committee to be skipper. "He showed outstanding leadership throughout this year," Worsfold said. "That really showed us that Darren was ready to step into that role and be a massive part of this club going forward."