Rugby League Players Association

You’ll never walk alone, Jai 🏹❤️

Congrats to Nathan Brown who will hit the 200-game milestone this weekend.

Wishing you all the best for the game Nathan!

A massive congratulations to Isaiah Papali'i who will play his 200th NRL game tomorrow.

All the best in your milestone match Isaiah ✊

Some big milestones 👏 Including Brian To'o, who scored his 100th try over the weekend - ending the game with 102 career tries with a first-half hat trick.

Congrats to all the players who reached big personal achievements last weekend.

A huge congrats to the three NRL and NRLW players who made their debuts over the weekend 👏

“Following the news that he has played his final NRL game, on behalf of the RLPA I’d like to congratulate Adam Reynolds on an incredible career,” said Chris McQueen, Player Transition Manager at the RLPA.

“I was fortunate enough to play a lot of footy alongside Adam. It was clear pretty early on that this kid from Redfern was going to be a special player and achieve some great things in our game.

“To go on to play more than 300 NRL games, earn State of Origin honours and lead not one, but two of Australia’s biggest sporting clubs to long-awaited Premierships is an extraordinary achievement. Those Grand Final victories are something Adam should be immensely proud of and form a legacy that will be remembered forever.

“Anyone who has shared a dressing room with Adam knows the quality of player he is. More importantly, though, they know the quality of person he is away from the field. He’s a great teammate, husband and father of four, and the way he has carried himself throughout his career has earned him enormous respect across the game.

“He is much loved by so many people in rugby league, from the players who have shared the field with him to fans of clubs right across the competition.

“On behalf of the RLPA and the entire rugby league community, congratulations to Adam on everything he has achieved and everything he has given to our great game.

“We wish Adam and his family all the very best for the next chapter and look forward to welcoming him into our Past Player & Transition Program.”

"South Sydney, led by Blake and Wayne, deserve a lot of credit for thinking about Jai and finding a special way to show their support for his difficult and unprecedented circumstance," said Clint Newton, CEO of the RLPA following the announcement that Jai Arrow would appear in two more NRL games.

Jai will take to the field for the Rabbitohs in the opening seconds the matches against his former club the Gold Coast Titans, and at the Souths final regular season home game against the Roosters.

The Rugby League Players Association, along with the National Rugby League, supported the South Sydney Rabbitohs proposal for Jai Arrow to appear in two more NRL games, taking his total games played for the club to 100.

"It speaks to how highly regarded Jai is by the people around him and the strength of the rugby league community when one of our own needs our love and support," said Newton.

"It’s devastating for Jai and the Arrow family, and I haven’t experienced a circumstance like this in my time in the game. Jai is a great person. It’s been incredible to see the rugby league community and broader sporting community get behind him and his family in such extraordinary ways of late."

"On behalf of the RLPA I’d like to congratulate Ryan Matterson on an outstanding career,” said Joe Galuvao, a Player Transition Manager at the RLPA, following the forward’s announcement of his retirement from rugby league.

“Ryan should be incredibly proud of everything he achieved across more than a decade in the game. From winning a Premiership with the Roosters in 2018 to representing New South Wales at State of Origin level, he proved himself as a highly skilled and versatile player wherever he played.

“Across 181 NRL games with the Roosters, Wests Tigers and Eels, Ryan earned enormous respect through his toughness and ability to contribute in a number of different roles for his teams as a forward or playmaker.

“We wish Ryan and his family all the best for the next chapter of his life and look forward to welcoming him into our Past Player & Transition Program.”

“On behalf of the RLPA I’d like to congratulate Ray Stone on an outstanding career,” said Joe Galuvao, Player Transition Manager at the RLPA, following the Dolphins forward's announcement he would retire at the end of the season.

"The second ever player to be signed by the Dolphins in the NRL, Ray has helped shape the club in its first four seasons in the Premiership. Ray quickly became a fan favourite through his relentless approach to playing and his team-first attitude on and off the field.

"Ray has already played over 100 games for the Dolphins and Parramatta Eels, earning incredible respect along the way for his toughness, work ethic and grit and strength in defence.

“We wish Ray all the best for the next chapter of his life and look forward to welcoming him into our Past Player & Transition Program.”

Vale Billy Smith, a Hall of Famer and former Kangaroos captain.
 
Billy was a key member of the famed St George Dragons team of the 1960s, playing 234 matches for the club and winning four consecutive premierships.
 
Our thoughts go out to all his friends and family at this time.