West Coast star Jeremy McGovern has been forced into AFL retirement.

McGovern has been sidelined since being knocked out in a game almost seven weeks ago, having failed to progress through the league’s return-to-play protocols.

The 33-year-old was referred to the league’s concussion panel, which ultimately decided to end his career, as revealed by chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary.

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McGovern will go down as one of the greatest defenders of the modern era.

Taken with pick No.44 in the 2011 rookie draft, McGovern went on to play 197 games, make five all-Australian teams, win a best and fairest and play in the 2018 premiership.

“It’s been an absolute honour to pull on the West Coast jumper for the past 15 years and it’s something that I will forever be grateful for,” McGovern said.

“As much as this isn’t the way I would have liked to go out, I respect the decision.

“I’m gutted I don’t get to pull the jumper on and run out one more time, but sometimes this is the way the game goes, and I am forever grateful to the West Coast supporters who have also shown me love and respect.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been involved with my career over the journey.

“My family – Mum and Dad, my brother Mitch, my wife Madi and my three kids Hudson, Marlee and Lewie – have been my biggest supporters, as well as my friends who have been amazing through my whole time in the AFL.

“To the Club, I can’t explain how much you have given me over my time here and I can’t thank you enough for drafting a fat kid from Albany and giving him a crack.

“I’ve always loved the game and winning a premiership is every kid’s dream, but the lifelong friendships and relationships you build through footy mean more to me than anything.

“I will forever be indebted to West Coast and I will always bleed blue and gold.”

His performance in the 2018 grand final win over Collingwood was the stuff of legends.

The defender suffered internal bleeding following a corkie in the preliminary final and spent time in hospital, barely training before the MCG decider.

Yet there he was with minutes remaining on the last Saturday in September.

McGovern took the mark that propelled West Coast from the wrong end of the ground, leading to Dom Sheed’s famous match-winning goal.

He becomes the latest player to be forced into medical retirement.

Collingwood pair Nathan Murphy and Josh Carmichael, Melbourne fan-favourite Angus Brayshaw and young Bulldog Aidan O’Driscoll have all been forced into medical retirement, along with former Eagles Daniel Venables and Brad Sheppard.