Adam Goodes Reportedly Considering Retirement Over "Booing"

Adam Goodes has been given a couple days off from the game as he mulls over retirement from the AFL, Fairfax reports.

The Sydney Swans great and former Australian of the Year has reportedly been struggling with the persistent “booing” that has followed him around for much of the season.

Yesterday, AFL chief Gillon McLachlan called on fans to end their booing of Goodes; a distasteful new trend that has haunted him ever since he performed a war dance during Indigenous Round.

The contentious relationship between Goodes and footy fans came to a head at the Swans’ recent skirmish with the West Coast Eagles, where two patrons were ejected for their racist comments.

Given the circumstances, Swans coach John Longmire revealed that Goodes would not be forced to play against Adelaide this weekend.

“He's tried as hard as he can possibly to go about his business and try to move on and try to address it the way we thought was appropriate at the time but he's had enough of it," Longmire said at a press conference.

Former Swans player and friend of Goodes, Michael O’Loughlin, added on social media, “He is really struggling mentally and physically.”

"There's only so much a man can take before his legs start to buckle. I am catching up with him tonight to tell him he has a lot of support. I am not seeing him about his career but as a mate."

According to Fairfax, the 35-year-old is not simply considering retirement for his own sake, but also for the sake of his team-mates, who are similarly suffering the effects of the booing.

Fellow Swans player Lewis Jetta came to Goodes’ defence over the weekend by performing his own Indigenous war dance.

Here's hoping this isn't how the footy career of Goodes, one of the best to ever do it, ends.

Update: It's been confirmed that Goodes will not play in this Saturday's match against Adelaide.