Sydney Swans player Daniel Bradshaw has announced his retirement today after the chronic knee problems he has been enduring have caused him to lose confidence.

He said after all the rehab he had undergone, his ultimate fitness was still in question and he did not want to take to the field playing at 80 per cent, as it wasn't good for him or for the team.

His knee had limited him to just nine games in one and a half seasons with Sydney, a stark comparison to his glory days at Brisbane in 2001 and 203 when they won the premiership.

During his AFL career Bradshaw played 231 games and scored 524 goals.

Sydney coach John Longmire said Bradshaw was a superstar and legend of the game.

Bradshaw said he would be looking at some business opportunities on returning to his home town of Wodonga.