EAST Fremantle captain Kasey Green didn’t get the end to his career he wanted but is proud of the steps forward the Sharks have made on and off the field since he returned from his AFL career.
Green began and ended his career at East Fremantle where he became an outstanding servant spending three years as captain, playing 122 games and winning a fairest and best award.
Those feats came either side of, and during, an AFL career that saw him play 54 matches with West Coast and 39 with North Melbourne and wherever he has played he was always a strong and consistent performer who gave his all.
That continued right up until the end of his final match in Sunday's 14-point first semi-final loss at home to East Perth and even though Green was proud of the team's effort to play finals for the first time since 2002, it was still disappointing to lose.
"It's a pretty empty sort of feeling to hear the final siren go when you feel like you have been robbed a little 
bit, but it's the realisation that it's the end of your career and that's it, you can't do anything more about it. It's disappointing," Green said.
"I told the boys after the game that from where the club was three years ago to the environment that's around the place now it's like night and day the difference. Everyone now loves being here, it's a great place to be and everyone loves playing for East Fremantle. That showed out there even though we lost."
The game was the first final played at East Fremantle Oval and the Sharks and East Perth supporters turned out in force to create a terrific atmosphere. While that made for a good day to be part of, it did finish a little bitter for the retiring Green.
"It was definitely the perfect set up, but it just didn’t have the perfect ending in the finish. I was really happy with the position that we put ourselves in going into September, but it just didn’t happen," he said.
"In every game except this one when we were in front at quarter-time we won this year, so that's disappointing and the second quarter was where it really hurt us when we let them back in the game.
"It was fantastic to be part of. They were certainly pretty loud from both sides and there was a lot of noise out there. Even when momentum was against us, the East Fremantle crowd was nice and loud so I thank all the supporters for turning out and supporting us."
Green returned to East Fremantle when he retired from the AFL at the end of 2007 and assumed the captaincy 
from Shane Woewodin who became coach.
With president John McManus and new chief executive Adam Kelly in place, Green is happy with the work the club has done to improve on and off the ground since he arrived to a club that was in trouble in both aspects three years ago.
"The people that are now in place at the club from the board down are just really good people and it's working," he said.
"The playing group now has stepped up especially the guys who are second or third year in, and there are some really good players coming through. The club's in a good place."
East Fremantle again had a strong band of young players who emerged during 2010 with Jamie Cripps, Kym Monteath, Andrew Stephen, Scott Horsburgh, Alex Fasolo, Jacob Brennan, Lewis Fasolo, Selby Lee-Steere, Jack Perham and Luke Foster among those who were exciting.
Even though some will be drafted, they are providing enough good signs that Green is confident the Sharks will continue to be a force next year.
"We might lose a couple to the draft like we always do, but there's a lot of depth at the club and a number of 
guys in the reserves who will be really good players when they get a chance. There's a good culture being created here now."
Green didn’t want to publicly nominate any replacements for him as captain, but Mark McGough, Rob Young, Leith Teakle, Luke Weller and Jamie McNamara would be good candidates.
"There's probably two or three who spring to mind and stand out to me, but I'll leave that up to the club," Green said.
"The leadership group this year was fantastic and really fun to be part of and whoever they choose will be a good choice."
The 30-year-old has no doubt that now is the right time to retire and to spend more time with wife Jane, son Cooper and the new arrival due soon. Coaching is something he won't rule out down the track though.
"It's time now to dedicate some more of myself to my family. We've got a two-year-old boy and I'm keen to spend a lot more time with him now and we've got another one on the way," he said.
"The timing was right for me. I haven’t put a lot of thought into it and I'm just looking forward to some time off, but never say never."
