The real world has been waiting for 14 years to get their hands on accidental AFL warrior Matt De Boer.

My former teammate announced his retirement last week after 223 games at Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney and already the business world awaits. After he was de-listed by the Dockers in 2016, his head was already transitioning to a career away from footy when the Giants called. Most would have immediately leapt at the chance to revive their AFL career, but given the business options in front of him he had to give it serious consideration.

A commerce graduate and fund management analyst, I predict the 32-year-old will be emerge as an AFL club chief executive with the potential to be a future AFL CEO.

Matty’s former coach at Fremantle Ross Lyon would always refer to making eye contact with teammates on the way down the race. He implored that you knew if you could trust that player in that fleeting gaze moments before combat.

Matty epitomised that feeling of trust. He didn’t accept his limitations, he challenged them and maximised his strengths. He also is very considered.

He delayed his entry to the draft to focus on study and give himself the best chance of a prosperous life if AFL didn’t eventuate.

From being too small, too slow and a limited kick to the most reliable teammate you could imagine. How? Hard work. Based on talent alone, his career should have been limited to two years not 14.

His retirement speech captured his essence.

He referred to the importance of understanding the opposition, an opposition he would not play against. From there, he implored his teammates to improve and “seek advice from the right people, commit to it and keep getting after it”.

The well-rounded nature was exemplified by his “antics” at well-known Sydney pub The Scary Canary as well as a chat on finance and compound interest. Matty was among the best performers on an end-of footy trip to Hong Kong in 2012.

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” is a corny quote often used out of context. Not with Matty. He was in the top echelon of trainers. He understood the game plan and what was required in big moments. No task was too big or too small. It is no coincidence the clubs he was at during his time regularly competed in September, including two grand finals.

A game day trademark values at Fremantle was to “know, accept and execute your role”. He was often given the less glamorous roles of defensive half forward or tagging opposition midfielders. It was always done with a nod and a steely determination.

Again, pinching a piece from his retirement speech, it is time for him to “take his intensity in another direction”.

He has a fair head start in that space as he lived on the edge of the AFL, constantly on one-year deals with the axe looming. The axe got him at the end of 2016 before the Giants pounced. Lyon lamented losing De Boer as Fremantle embarked on a rebuild.

“The obvious one is Matty de Boer at Fremantle. His role … they tried to free up positions for his role but he could have been captaining that club or have been great support for (Nat) Fyfe,” Lyon said in 2020.

Giants caretaker coach Mark McVeigh said Matty made the Giants a better organisation and further praised his gratitude and emotional intelligence. “He left no stone unturned, he did not fear anything” McVeigh said.

As for Matty becoming future AFL CEO, my predictions about the post-footy futures of ex-teammates is going OK. Aaron Sandilands —- lawn mowing mogul. Hayden Ballantyne — horse trainer with the potential to win the lottery. I have missed so far on Ryan Crowley or Tommy Sheridan entering reality TV.

There is still time I suppose.