South Sydney and former Queensland State of Origin enforcer Jai Arrow will retire from the NRL immediately after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Souths chief executive Blake Solly revealed the devastating diagnosis on Wednesday.
Only 30 years old, Arrow has played 98 games for the Rabbitohs since Wayne Bennett lured the classy forward to the club in 2021 after handing the then-20-year-old his first-grade debut at Brisbane a decade ago.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow
“Thank you for the support I’ve received over what has been an incredibly difficult and uncertain period in my life,” Arrow said in a club statement.
“After extensive medical testing and consultations regarding ongoing symptoms, I have recently received a diagnosis relating to a nerve and neurological condition. Further tests, specialist reviews and medical processes are still ongoing, and my doctors are continuing to assess my condition.
“Over recent months, my symptoms have affected different parts of my everyday life.
“On medical advice, I am not currently medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I will be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health, treatment, and rehabilitation.
“I want to sincerely thank everyone at the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the personal support they have shown me and my family throughout this process. The South Sydney Rabbitohs, my teammates, staff, and everyone behind the scenes have made an incredibly hard situation much easier to face.
“To my teammates, thank you for treating me exactly the same every single day. Within minutes of walking through the doors, most of you are still making me laugh with the usual banter, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
“To my family and closest mates, thank you for standing beside me through all of this. I know the road ahead won’t be easy, but anyone who knows me knows I’m competitive, stubborn, and ready to fight this with everything I’ve got.
“What I need right now isn’t sympathy or sadness. What I need is support, understanding, and privacy while my family and I navigate this difficult time.
“This is only part of my story, and when the time is right, I’ll share more. But for now, I ask everyone to respect my privacy while I continue working with my doctors and my family.”
Arrow also had four seasons at Gold Coast following his two-season stint at the Broncos and played 12 games for Queensland between 2018 and 2023.
He helped the Maroons win series in 2020, 2022 and 2023 while also playing in the Rabbitohs’ 2021 grand final loss to Penrith.
Arrow’s diagnosis comes two and a half years after former Maroons hardman Carl Webb died of MND aged 42.
The rugby league world was also rocked by Western Suburbs, Balmain and North Sydney great Scott Gale died of the debilitating condition at just 39 in 2004.
Kiwi star shoots down eligibility critics ahead of Origin debut
2 min read
Las Vegas debutants announced for NRL’s 2027 season openers
2 min read
