MELBOURNE club champion and now Hawthorn utility Cameron Bruce has retired from the AFL effective immediately.

Bruce acknowledged his time at Melbourne via a Hawthorn media release.

“I would like to thank Neale Daniher, Danny Corcoran, Craig Cameron, Chris Fagan and Melbourne Football Club for initially giving me the chance to play AFL football, in particular Chris Fagan; I wouldn’t have played a single game if it wasn’t for him. He was there for my first game and he is here for my last,” he said.

Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab said Bruce had an outstanding AFL career.

“Cameron did it the hard way, via the supplementary list,” he told melbournefc.com.au.

“He arrived at Melbourne in 1998 and his story from there is a remarkable one, going on to win a best and fairest and playing 232 games for the club.

“He is highly respected and regarded and everyone at the Melbourne Football Club would like to congratulate Cameron on his career.”

Bruce, who played 224 matches and kicked 210 goals for Melbourne from 2000 to 2010, made the announcement on Monday.

The 32 year-old moved to Hawthorn for the 2011 season - he was selected at No.5 in the NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft - and played 10 matches, but his season was interrupted with a knee injury.

This year, he made one appearance for the Hawks, playing in round four against West Coast Eagles.

Overall, Cameron Bruce played 234 AFL games and booted 211 goals.

Bruce became one of the most versatile players of his era, able to play up forward, in the midfield or down back.

He also had the ability to play on some of the game’s superstars and produce fine shut down roles.

Originally from Melbourne High School Old Boys, Bruce spent the 1998 and 1999 seasons on Melbourne’s supplementary list , playing in the final two years of the AFL’s reserves competition.

After being overlooked in the draft in 1998, he was claimed with Melbourne’s fifth pick (No.64) in the 1999 AFL Draft.

Bruce made an immediate impact at Melbourne, playing 19 matches in his first year and receiving an AFL Rising Star nomination.

He kicked four goals in round 22 and two in the qualifying final win over Carlton. But he didn’t play in the 2000 grand final, as he was a late withdrawal with a torn quadriceps.

By the end of his third AFL season in 2002, Bruce had finished second to skipper David Neitz in the club best and fairest. He then represented Australia in the International Rules series - a feat he also achieved in 2004.

Bruce’s best goal kicking haul came in round six, 2004, when he booted seven goals against Carlton in round six. This was the same season in which he bagged a career high of 34 goals.

Bruce’s start to the 2005 season was red hot - so much so, that he was considered an early Brownlow Medal favourite. However, he injured his shoulder against St Kilda in round four that year. Coincidentally, the tackler was Saint Brent Guerra - now a teammate of Bruce’s at Hawthorn. Bruce then injured his knee late in the season.

But he returned in 2006 to finish second to James McDonald in Melbourne’s best and fairest. Statistically, it was his best AFL season, when he collected a career high 537 disposals and 10 Brownlow Medal votes.

In 2008, when David Neitz was injured early in the season and retired during it, Bruce stepped up as co-acting captain with James McDonald.

He was then vice-captain under McDonald in 2008.

In 2008, after finishing runner-up twice, Bruce won the Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott Memorial Trophy as Melbourne’s best and fairest.  

He then backed it up with another strong season, finishing third in 2009.

Bruce’s highest disposal count in a match was 39 against Port Adelaide in round 21, 2010 - his second last appearance for the Demons.

Former Melbourne assistant coach/football manager Chris Fagan, now head of coaching and development at Hawthorn, praised Bruce’s career.

“I admire him because he made himself into a player - when he started he spent two years on Melbourne’s supplementary list and his determination, resilience and incredible work ethic were some of the reasons why Melbourne subsequently drafted him,” Fagan said in  Hawthorn’s media release.

“His greatest attribute as a player was his versatility. He could play any role: tag James Hird and then go down back and play on Brad Johnston, and had a really good record on some of those players. But he could also play in his own right, and could be a very dangerous player.”

Former Melbourne midfielder and now Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson congratulated Bruce on his career with the Demons and Hawks.

“I’d like to congratulate Cameron on a tremendous AFL career, for which he can be extremely proud of. He is the epitome of someone who left nothing in the tank, who was always striving to improve and was the ultimate professional,” he said in the Hawthorn media release.

Although his two seasons with Hawthorn were interrupted by injury, he leaves the game as an outstanding player, who overcame several hurdles to gain his chance at the highest level.

And he maximised every ounce of ability.