Veteran NRL Player Retires After Losing Passion for the Game

In a move that has surprised the NRL community, veteran player Shaun Lane has announced his retirement from the sport. The 30-year-old, who made 186 appearances across 11 seasons with the Bulldogs, Warriors, Sea Eagles, and most memorably the Parramatta Eels, has decided to hang up his boots.

Lane admitted that the decision to retire had been brewing for some time, with the game losing its spark for him over the past 12-18 months. He revealed that he had been struggling with persistent body soreness and a lack of motivation, often feeling sore and disinterested in playing. The high point of his career, he said, was Parramatta's 2022 Preliminary Final win over the Cowboys in Townsville, which he described as one of his best performances under pressure.

With degrees in health sciences and psychology, and a Master's in progress, Lane now turns his attention to a new role in Parramatta's NRLW pathways, where he will be working in mental health and player welfare. His personal experience with his father's long battle with depression has given him a strong drive to pursue this field.