Chris Tarrant Biography

It is reported that a freak pool accident and a lacerated toe almost derailed Chris Tarrant's final season in the AFL.

"He was jumping in his pool at home and had his feet over the edge, and as he went to push off, underneath the toe near the crease of the knuckle became lacerated," Collingwood football and coaching strategist Rodney Eade said.

"It was an area that once you stitch it, you can't walk on it because you're splitting the cut.

"He had to go in a moon boot so he couldn't really do anything for three or four weeks, and then it got a bit infected.

"[The toe] really affected him. Then he came back and hurt his calf. It was just a whole range of hurdles put in front him."

One of Collingwood's first items of business after their disappointing premilinary final defeat to the Swans was to pay tribute to departing veteran Chris Tarrant .

"For me, on a personal note just the last two years having him back has just been outstanding," Magpie skipper Nick Maxwell said.

"The way that he has helped me and helped our group ... I couldn't speak highly enough of him for the contribution that he has made, in particular in the last two years."

Chris Tarrant announces his retirement at the end of the season and says he leaves football a better person than he was when his career began.

"It was quite a young age and I had to grow up fast, and I grew up at probably the biggest football club in Australia with cameras in my face," Tarrant said.

"It's changed a lot; they help young players a lot through those early stages now but I found it quite difficult at the start and it took a while to adjust to that professionalism.

"You do start to realise you have to look at yourself in the mirror and think, 'I really want to end my career well and being respected as well', which is a big thing.

"I did say to the boys I was very talented but I don't think I was respected earlier in my career."

Collingwood's Chris Tarrant says he will retire at the end of the season after 15 years in the AFL and hopes to finish off his career with a flag.

"I'm almost 32 next month and obviously this season hasn't helped my chances of pushing forward towards that contract but all I really have to concentrate on is the next four games and the finals," Tarrant said.

"It's really all that matters to me at the moment, I suppose, playing [in] that premiership. It's something that's eluded me for so long that I'm striving for still to this day. That's what my main aim is at the moment."

Chris Tarrant makes an impressive return to the Pies with two goals against the Cats as a forward.

"I thought he was excellent. It's been awhile since he's been on the MCG, putting on 60, 70m searching leads up the wing," coach Nathan Buckley said after the match.

"I thought some of the positions Taz put himself in were very hard to defend so in that way he played his role, kicked a couple of goals and played his part very well."

Collingwood will not risk rushing back key defender Chris Tarrant into the side against Adelaide despite needing to replace Ben Reid will miss at least a fortnight after straining his quad against Geelong.

"Taz isn't right to go. We'll give him a couple more runs [in the VFL] and a couple more full weeks of training before we pull the trigger on Taz," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said.

Collingwood defender Chris Tarrant is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a strained calf sustained in the opening stages of Collingwood's 21-point win over Richmond in round 2.

Chris Tarrant has resumed training and will play in the NAB Cup after overcoming a foot injury.

He's had a foot problem but he's over that now," Collingwood's director of football Geoff Walsh said.

"He's started back joining in and if he doesn't play next week, he'll be very, very close. He'll take part in most of the NAB series."

Magpie defender Chris Tarrant can't believe his luck at returning to his original club and playing a role in the Pies' premiership charge.

"When Collingwood were interested, it was the only club I wanted to play for, there's no doubt about that," Tarrant said.

"This is what I've wanted to do, come back to play finals and try to win a premiership, and it's a position I'm lucky to be in."

Collingwood assistant Nathan Buckley has been impressed by the maturity shown by Chris Tarrant since Tarrant's return to the club after a spell with Fremantle.

"If blokes do the wrong thing around the place, he pulls them up for the wrong behaviours. He's a 30-year-old man now, he plays football well and he's very strong," Buckley said.

"We know he's great one-on-one and he's got a wealth of experience, so he's a fantastic addition to our list."

Collingwood defender Heath Shaw says he has already seen a greater maturity in the returning Chris Tarrant.

"He is ready to go and he is really keen to get started, and that's exciting for us as a club as well," Shaw said.

"He said 'I want to go to Collingwood, I don't want to go anywhere else' and I think that shows his commitment and how Collingwood stays with you no matter where you go or what happens to you. So it's exciting times for him and us."

Fremantle defender Chris Tarrant has returned to his original AFL club, Collingwood, after the Dockers and Magpies agreed to a trade on Monday afternoon.

Collingwood receives Tarrant and a third-round NAB AFL Draft pick, No.44, while Fremantle receives a round two pick, No.43, and a round three pick, No.55.

Collingwood recruit Chris Tarrant says he needs to make up for his ill-discipline the last time he played for the club.

"I really owe this club," Tarrant said after being traded to the Magpies from Fremantle.

"I've got something to offer this club and I just can't wait to get that opportunity to have another crack at it."

Reports says Fremantle is set to lose defender Chris Tarrant to Collingwood for nothing with both teams failing to come to an agreement.

The Magpies have offered the Dockers pick no. 55 for Tarrant but Fremantle are still pushing for Collingwood's pick no. 43 in the coming draft.

Chris Tarrant's manager Paul Connors says the Fremantle defender is prepared to enter the NAB AFL Draft if he does not win a transfer to Collingwood.

"He'll be worth whatever Fremantle can get for him, because if they don't accept that he will go in the national draft," Connors said.

Fremantle defender Chris Tarrant has confirmed he is leaving the club in order to return to Melbourne.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says playing with an exciting group should keep Chris Tarrant from wanting to return to Melbourne.

"If you were playing in a fairly exciting young side, and you could read the form, I think that would help with his decision," Harvey said.

"All I know, and it's probably appropriate, is that he loves this place; it's really turned around a lot of things for him."

A medial ligament injury means Fremantle defender Chris Tarrant will miss up to six weeks and will not play again until the finals.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says Chris Tarrant has become as big an influence in his team as Matthew Scarlett is for the Cats.

"I think you're going to recognise him as one of the best defenders in the competition," Harvey said of Tarrant.

"If you compare it to a side like Geelong, who we play this week, he's probably as important as Scarlett is to Geelong."

Fremantle defender Chris Tarrant says he will approach this season's campaign as though it is his last.

"When you're coming towards the end of your career, you just try to play every season as thought it's your last," he said.

"One serious injury for guys my age and it's over, so I'm preparing and taking every game like it could be my last."

Fremantle's Luke McPharlin hopes that playing as a defender in tandem with teammate Chris Tarrant in 2010 will help him revisit his best form of 2007 and 2008.

"I don't rule out playing a bit of a swingman role through the year, but I think I've played my best football in defence and I look forward to returning there," McPharlin said.

"I'm looking forward to playing with Tarrant. It's something I've wanted to do for a while and I think it'll hopefully be a pretty good partnership."

The Age reports that Chris Tarrant is keen to return to Victoria after a successful shift to the backlines with Fremantle in 2009.

Tarrant's main motivation for returning to Victoria is reported to be his desire to settle in Melbourne following his marriage scheduled in October.

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says full-back Chris Tarrant will remain at the club for the final year of his contract despite reports the revitalised full back was seeking a return to Victoria.

"He's contracted to Fremantle and he will be playing at Fremantle next year," Harvey said.

"When you commit to a four-year contract you commit to a four-year contract. He won't be playing for any other club next year."

After appearing washed up, Chris Tarrant has been transformed into Freo's key defender.

Fremantle's Chris Tarrant has described his move into defence as the spark he needed heading into his 12th AFL season.

The 28-year-old will play his 200th game this weekend and he said the challenge of playing in defence had refreshed him mentally.