Matt de Boer retires after 223 games with the reputation as one of the best taggers the AFL has seen over the past decade.

But there are many across the two clubs that he represented with such distinction who bristle at the pigeon hole his career has been placed in.

A lockdown, hard worker who got everything out of his natural ability and overcame some draft and delisting setbacks along the way. 

That's the de Boer narrative.

But to many he played with, it's selling the 32-year-old short.

When his close friend and Greater Western Sydney skipper Stephen Coniglio found out that de Boer was doing a post-retirement chat with AFL.com.au, he made a point of reaching out to ensure that message was hammered home.

"He's always just been seen as this tagger who was amazing at it, but he's always been just a very good footballer," Coniglio said.

"I know that in 2017 through to 2019 that if we didn't have the gun onballers that we did, he would have held his own in those roles for sure."

Ever the humble one, de Boer stopped short of making those declarations. While he understands the tale tapered around his career, being defined by attributes that he simply sees as a prerequisite doesn't stack up.

"It's an interesting one. I know what the narrative is around me, and it is around that workrate and resilience. I never really thought about it in that context. I was always raised to just give maximum effort at everything," he told AFL.com.au.

"And then I've been taught that life's a strategy game, so you need to learn and adapt constantly throughout. So while there might have been some tougher periods, whether it's being dropped or delisted or not performing always at a high level, I just focused on getting to work."

While de Boer may view his career in a different light, the tagging role he was able to master for so long over his 14-season journey is one he relished.

He performed the task of quelling the influence of the opposition's No.1 playmaker better than most and savoured everything that came with it.

"I loved it. It was exhilarating," he said. 

"I loved the analysis leading into the game, whether it was sitting down with someone like Lenny Hayes and breaking down the person and recognising their trends over the last few games, doing that analysis in the lead-up.

"And then ensuring that I had the necessary level of fitness, strength to be able to match it with them and going into a game, I guess, with a heightened sense of emotions at times, knowing that if you're off a little bit, these guns can make you look silly really quickly.

"I loved being on the edge and knowing that if I did a good job that that allowed my teammates to often get off the chain and perform at a high level. 

"And then once again, sitting in the changerooms afterwards, celebrating a good team win is one of the best feelings in the world."

It's no great coincidence that the peak of de Boer's career came at the time that the Giants hit their apex as a club - the season where they made their solitary Grand Final appearance.

"I think 2019, and particularly during our finals run, I just felt confident in the team around me. And I got plenty of help through all the mids, and Shane Mumford as well, I just felt everyone was locked into their role, offensively and defensively, which allowed me to perform as well," he said.

The best ball-winners in the competition will breathe a sigh of relief that de Boer will no longer be lining up to limit their influence and there are a few who asked more questions of the Western Australian than most.

"Playing with Josh Kelly in training was definitely the toughest. But in terms of opponents, for me, it was probably Scott Pendlebury, Nat Fyfe, and Lachie Neale for various reasons, they all just had such great traits and different elements to them that I felt really challenged me," he said.

Assignments of a different kind await de Boer in the future as he continues to progress his burgeoning finance syndicate.

"I spoke to [former Australia rugby captain] John Eales a couple years ago and he said, whenever it may be, just make sure you're retiring to something as opposed to just from something," he said.

"There is no substitute for footy and I'll miss it dearly, and the people involved, but I am excited by what's to come and what we're building off field with Athletic Ventures, but also the chance to spend some more time with my family and friends, particularly on the weekend," he added.

Along with Phil Davis, de Boer has long been rated as one of the more wordly minds at the Giants and he hasn't ruled out adapting that shrewd business approach to an off-field football role, in time.

"I really can never say never. I'll certainly be open to opportunities in the future. I love the team-based pursuit and want to see the Giants go incredibly well. So, if there is some type of role potentially in the future, then I'd be open to it," he said.

For now though, it's new coach Adam Kingsley's task to get the Giants back on track and de Boer is bullish that can happen right away.

"I have no doubt the boys can charge back up the ladder. Fundamentally we're well led by Cogs (Coniglio), Toby (Greene) and Josh Kelly. They'll need to drive pre-season with a particular emphasis on team defence and letting their strengths flourish off the back of that," he said.

While he'll miss that irreplaceable post-match feeling after a win that he is certain will come en masse for GWS from next season, de Boer won't be venturing too far away when the good times return.

"It'll be an adjustment. I might self-appoint myself as past player's social chair or something like that," he joked.

"I'll unequivocally miss the boys and the organisation. I'd like to think I've got really strong relationships, both at the Giants, at Fremantle and now around the AFL and the nation."