Six players with 1,618 games of AFL experience have been nominated for the coveted Madden Medal for the retiring class of 2019.

With an average of more than 250 games experience across the nominees, this year’s crop have excelled both on and off-the-field.

Alex Rance, Luke Hodge, Dale Morris, Nick Smith, Jarryd Roughead and Jarrad McVeigh were the clear standouts from their retiring class, with the players’ names presented to the board for their consideration.

As a collective, they boast four club Best & Fairest awards, five All-Australian jumpers, four premiership medallions, two Norm Smith Medals and three club captains.

The 2019 Madden Medal nominees also include members of club leadership groups and passionate charity ambassadors, who spent their time away from football advocating for important causes.

The nominees worked with a range of foundations and not-for-profit organisations including BreastWest, My Room, Ladder, The Orangutan Project and Team Swans community engagements.

They also spent time studying and developing their off-field pursuits with members of the retiring group building their own businesses, undertaking tertiary study and completing work experience as part of their personal development.

Each player balanced their personal development while advocating for issues in ambassadorial roles and giving their all on the field each week.

While there can only be one Madden Medal winner, these champions will continue to be remembered for their tireless work on and off the field.

The Madden Medal, presented by The Diamond Guys, is named after brothers Simon and Justin Madden, and is awarded annually to the retiring player who has best demonstrated on-field excellence, personal development and growth, as well as community spirit over the course of their playing career. The winner will be announced at the AFL Players’ Association Season Celebration on Thursday, March 12.