Simon Black might not be the best midfielder of the past decade (he would be close), but there probably isn’t anyone more decorated.

In fact, Black is the only player in the history of the game to play more than 300 games, win a Brownlow, play in a premiership (Black played in three) and win the Norm Smith Medal.

Throw in three All-Australian jumpers, three club champion awards and a bevy of other individual awards and Black’s got a trophy cabinet bursting with silverware.

Today the Brisbane championed announced his retirement after 322 AFL games and 171 goals.

According to Lions General Manager Dean Warren, Black sits alongside Michael Voss and Kevin Murray as the “absolute elite” in the history of the Fitzroy/Brisbane Lions Football Club.

New Brisbane coach and former teammate Justin Leppitsch flagged even more recognition for the West Australian.

“Simon’s list of achievements and contribution to the game will undoubtedly make him not just a future Hall of Fame member of the Lions, but also the AFL,” he said.

If the measure of a players contribution to the game is reflected in the length of the press release announcing their retirement, then there have been few better. The reality is four pages is justified in order to list everything Black has achieved.

The only piece of content more glowing than this is the tweets coming through from players, Brisbane and opposing clubs alike, desperate to pay tribute to a man who lives life as his plays the game; with understated grace.