Essendon veteran Nathan Lovett-Murray has today announced his retirement from the game and will line up for his final match against Richmond on Saturday night.

Lovett-Murray never took a backward step during his 145 games and will be remembered as a ‘warrior’ of the club.

The 30-year old said he would be forever grateful to the club for the opportunities they’d given him.

“When I first came to the club I was hoping to play one game and I’ve played one-hundred and forty-five, I’ve had a really good run and it’s a great club,” Lovett-Murray said.

“I was lucky enough to play in a couple of finals, but Playing in the Dreamtime game and on ANZAC Day was always a big highlight of my career.”

“The club has given me a lot of opportunities and being at a club such as Essendon, the community work they do, has helped me with the work I do with the indigenous community.”

A fierce and unrelenting competitor for more than a decade, Lovett-Murray has been a fantastic servant of the club since making his debut in 2004.