Shane Biggs Biography

Shane Biggs retires from AFL football, aged just 27.

"I've been incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to play at the highest level for two great clubs," Biggs said in a statement.

"I've made some great mates in the game and some incredible memories which will stick with me forever.

"It has been a great experience, but it's time for me to explore other opportunities outside of footy and I'm excited about finding some new challenges."

Western Bulldogs backline coach Steven King says Shane Biggs, who has been relegated to the VFL twice so far in 2018, will need to recapture the form that made him an integral part of the Western Bulldogs' 2016 Grand Final triumph.

"This game always throws up challenges and it's hard to stay at that level, but Shane certainty has the capacity to do that regularly, and that moment in the Grand Final has been referenced many times because it was such a significant effort," King said.

"It's mental, it's physical, it's just having that belief and backing himself to get back to that level.

"If Shane can build his game around defensive pressure around the footy, the rest of his game will take care of itself."

After a breakthrough season in 2016, Shane Biggs has been struggling for consistency in 2016.

The defender averaged 21 disposals and recorded the second-most metres gained for the club in its premiership year, but has been axed twice by selectors in 2017.

"It's not pleasant, especially happening twice. You definitely don't get used to it," Biggs said.

"Just as long as there's guys putting their hands up in the twos and everyone playing well, then you've just got to play at your best and as consistently as you can, and I wasn't doing that.

"It's healthy to go back and work on your game because it's sometimes easy to work on your game at the lower level."

A roll of the dice five years ago has paid off for Western Bulldogs' defender Shane Biggs, who has committed to the club for a further two years, extending his stay until at least the end of 2018.

Back in 2011, Biggs, now 24, was playing football for fun with Warrandyte and learning the plumbing trade before an invitation came to play VFL for the Bendigo Bombers.

"I had to make a decision whether I was going to take it [football] seriously or not," Biggs said.

"I stopped my apprenticeship and just laboured three days a week so I could manage the training for three or four nights a week.

"It was a real roll of the dice."

The Western Bulldogs have used their compensation for trading Adam Cooney to Essendon to swoop on Swans rookie Shane Biggs just minutes before the NAB AFL Trade Period deadline.

The Dogs traded pick No.37 – received from Essendon for Brownlow medallist Cooney earlier on Thursday – to the Swans for Biggs and pick No.39.

"To be able to manoeuvre some picks around today was a good result and Shane Biggs comes in, who's a player that's been at the Swans for three years now (in) a really good, strong football program and we think he'll add to our team," Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney said.

Shane Biggs makes his AFL debut for Sydney at Stadium Australia with 18 disposals (11 kicks and 7 handballs), 6 marks and a tackle in a 12-point loss to Hawthorn.

Shane Biggs becomes the fourth Swans rookie to be promoted to the senior list in 2013.