MELBOURNE midfielder/forward Brad Green knows it's time for him to step up as a leader of the club, following the retirement of captain and club great David Neitz.

Although he was overlooked in the club's 2008 leadership group, Green remains a genuine captaincy prospect for Melbourne long-term. The Tasmanian believes it's time he showed his leadership wares with Neitz having called it a day. 

"There's no doubt I had things to work on as a leader. ‘Neita’ has been one who has taught me a lot of things," Green told melbournefc.com.au.

"I needed to grow as a person and grow as a player and hopefully I've been doing that.

"So I've just got to keep doing what I've been doing - it's not pushing my case - it's knowing that I've got to step up now, as I'm one of the older guys and it's time to lead."

Green said the retirement of Neitz on Monday was a "sad day for the club".

"Everyone would love a fairytale ending and 'Neita' didn't get that fairytale ending where you walk off the ground in the last game and you know it's your last game. As 'Neita' said: 'Life's more important than footy'," Green said.

He said the players officially found out at a team meeting at 2pm on Monday.

"I didn't know beforehand. He came in and said to the boys: 'It's my last go at it and I'm done and dusted and I can't go anymore'. He basically told us he had seen the surgeons [and that was it]," Green said.

"He wasn't too bad. I thought he'd choke back a few tears, but 'Neita' is a strong character and it would've been a hard weekend for him to do it, but he came through it pretty strong.

"I think he'll get around to each individual and do his own thing there, but at the moment I think he's got a lot on his mind and a lot on his plate and it probably hasn't sunk in for him yet.

"He didn't leave us with any parting words, but he enjoyed his time - he loved his time - and he's been here for 19 years, which is more than half of his life spent at the Melbourne footy club, so it's a sad day."

Green said it was a surreal feeling knowing the games and goals record holder - and the person who has led the club more than anyone else at Melbourne - would no longer be donning the red and blue. 

"It is [surreal]. You go: 'S*** 'Neita' has retired and where is this going?' 'Neita' is a legend of this footy club and where do we go from here?" Green said.

"We've got to pick ourselves up and go again and it's been a tough year - no doubt - on the field and we've got to keep striving and find another David Neitz and find another legend of the game and someone who can step up and take that role.

"He hasn't been around for three or four weeks or the past month, so we've put people in place to take on more responsibility, so we've got to keep getting on with the job and hopefully winning a few more games."