Former Fremantle skipper Peter Bell has announced his immediate retirement after 286 games with the Dockers and North Melbourne.

The four-time best-and-fairest winner (one with the Kangaroos) played his last game against Essendon in Round 12 and informed coach Mark Harvey of his decision on Monday morning after making up his mind at lunch the day before.

Bell said he had given all he had and didn't want to deny youngsters the opportunity to play at the highest level despite coach Mark Harvey previously saying he hoped Bell would continue into 2009.

"Having used the break to make my decision, I decided retirement was the best thing. I don't think I've got much more left to give," Bell said on Monday.

"I have given footy a lot and I think it would be fraudulent of me to come down here and go through the motions just for the sake of playing another season."

"It makes no difference to me whether I play 286 games or 293 or whatever I would have ended up playing and I'd rather see young players have the opportunity."

"It frees an opportunity for someone in a pretty important eight-week block in their careers, potentially."

Bell was close to pulling the pin on his career at the end of last season when he decided to move to Geraldton - 429km away from Perth - for business reasons.

However, Harvey persuaded Bell to continue playing this year and arrangements were made that saw the 32-year-old commute from Geraldton to Perth each week to play before he made a permanent move back to the capital city several weeks ago as the Dockers endured an eight-match losing streak.

Bell played 13 of the Dockers' 14 games this season and was a valuable member of his team's engine room averaging almost 22 possessions a game.

"Knowing where he has come from and what he has gone through as a footballer, you can't help but be full of admiration for what he has achieved," said Harvey, who marvelled at how a player of such short stature could have such an impact on the game.

"He's probably the best player I've seen think through a game and finish up what I call undressing the opposition. He was sensational at that," Harvey said.

"Some times as a coach it is hard to quantify how valuable that is but I do know the players will really miss having Peter out there."

After initially being discarded by Fremantle