A superstar told us he was leaving our club. I wish he hadn’t

August 13, 2026 — 11:40am

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When Izak Rankine told us at Gold Coast, with three games remaining in the 2022 season, that he was leaving at season’s end, everything changed. The hint of a chance that he would stay evaporated, and it was difficult to look at the situation in the same light as I did the day before.

Football is tribal, maybe less so than it once was, but there’s still a fair degree of, “You’re either with us or you against us.”

Once informed of the decision, we insured that it was kept tight, with only a few key people knowing.

We were playing Hawthorn in Tasmania that week and on the flight there, Izak wore a non-Gold Coast hat. He had probably done this before, but my perception, or perhaps the reality, of the situation had changed.

He kicked goals from the pocket at the captain’s run at Launceston Oval, away from his teammates. I’m sure he had done that previously … but again, this was in my head, not his.

We lost that game badly and then were beaten by Geelong at home the week after, a game in which Izak injured his shoulder. The decision was made that he would go immediately in for surgery.

This is only a........

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