Carlton defender Liam Jones has announced his retirement from AFL for personal reasons.

The Blues had been in talks with Jones after he expressed hesitancy about taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I wish to announce my retirement from AFL football effective immediately,” Jones said in a statement on Sunday.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank all who have supported me throughout my journey, both personally and professionally. I love the game and I’ll miss my teammates.

“I hope that people respect my decision and privacy – neither myself or my management team will be making any further comment on the matter.”

Carlton football boss Brad Lloyd expressed thanks to Jones for his seven years with the club.

“We have been in constant dialogue with Liam in recent months and allowing him the time he needed to make an informed decision regarding his playing career,” Lloyd said.

“Liam confirmed with us today that he has made the decision to retire, and his wish for the specific reasons of that decision to be kept private – as a club, we will be respecting that.

“We thank Liam for his seven years of service to the Carlton Football Club, he earned every part of the 161 games he played, which included a complete positional transformation in the middle of his career, that could have only been possible with supreme dedication and hard work.