A year after being runner-up in the Hawthorn best and fairest, Simon Cox has prematurely retired.

Cox, 26, played 14 AFL games this year as he spent much of his time with Box Hill in the VFL and 93 in his career.

Another Bulldog turned Hawk in Kingsley Hunter joined Cox in retirement after just two games with Hawthorn.

Hunter played exactly 100 games with Fremantle, the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn, bringing up the milestone against West Coast in round 17.

He will return to Western Australia.

Meanwhile Melbourne has re-signed Matthew Whelan, Luke Williams, Darren Jolly, Mark Jamar and Brad Green.

Nathan Carroll will be promoted from the rookie list onto the senior list next season while Gary Moorcroft, Daniel Breese and Michael Clark have been sacked.

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