Fremantle defender Heath Black has confirmed he is on the verge of walking away from AFL.

Black, who is contracted until the end of 2010, is in talks with the club and his manager to work out the best exit strategy.

He denied today he had already announced his retirement "effective immediately", as reported by the Seven Network last night, but said it was unlikely he would play another game for the Dockers.

"They (effective immediately) are the words I want to clarify, that's not the case," Black told Southern Cross Broadcasting this morning.

"I'm working through, with the footy club and my manager Paul Connors, the best scenario for me moving forward and we are doing that on a day-to-day basis. That's effectively where it's at.

"I'm contracted for next year and with that in place, obviously you can imagine there's some things we have to work through financially and stuff like that, to work out the best possible scenario for the Fremantle footy club and myself."

Black, who has a shoulder injury and is also battling a degenerative hip problem, said he would join his teammates at training tomorrow.

The 29-year-old has played just six matches this year, the last of which came against Brisbane in round 11 when he copped a two-match ban for striking the Lions' Troy Selwood.

AAP