Port Adelaide veterans Brendon Lade and Peter Burgoyne have retired and will play their final games against North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.
The duo, who are the only two players left in the current squad who took to the field in the Power's first game against Collingwood back in 1997, admitted struggling with the rigours of AFL football had played a part in calling it quits.
Burgoyne, who is second on the club's all-time games record and will play his 240th game at the weekend, said he knew it was time to draw an end to his career after Port's clash with the Western Bulldogs in Round 12.
"I just haven't got it anymore. I haven't got the passion in my heart ... and the hunger and I've been this way now for a long time," a shy Burgoyne said in his first press conference in 13 years.
"I've been playing league football since I was 16, 17, so you do the maths, it's been a long time. It can't go on forever."
Burgoyne said he'd like to be remembered for having 'had a crack on the big stage'.
"That's what I prided myself on, playing in the big games, in finals and especially in Showdowns."
Lade, who is third on the games record with 234 appearances in the black, white and teal, admitted preparing for another year of football would've been too much.
"I couldn't see myself getting through another preseason. Last year was tough and whispers from camp was it was going to be tougher (next year)," he said.
"We (he and Burgoyne) started together, we are going to end together and it would be nice to end on a win. Our first game together we got pumped by Collingwood."
Former skipper Warren Tredrea is the club's games record holder with 249 appearances and will be the only player from the Power's inaugural squad remaining if he secures a deal to play next year.
Williams was full of praise for Lade and Burgoyne but admits both had to work for their success.
He said the club initially felt Burgoyne was a 'lazy guy that was never going to meet his potential'. But after responding to a 'kick up the bum' the 31-year-old finished third in the Power Best and Fairest count in 2003 and 2007, won the club's Best Finals Player in 2007, was an International Rules Series representative in 1999, and played for the 'Dream Team' against Victoria in 2008.
He was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century in 2005, and played State of Origin for South Australia in 1999.
Lade's retirement leaves a big void in the ruck department but Williams said the young talls on the squad should take heart from his early beginnings.
"We watched him run with the turned out leg, there were so many things you'd think 'There's no way in the world he would ever be sitting here today being in the top five of a club and All-Australian," he said.
"Given the opportunity and they can see a spot there, it's amazing how young blokes develop."
Lade was a Rising Star Nominee (Round 7, 1997) and won the Power's Best and Fairest award in 2006, Best Finals Player in 2003, Best Team Man in 2006 and Fos Williams Award in 2006.