Warriors prop Steve Price will retire from football at the end of the NRL season, with a decision on his State of Origin availability to be determined by his injury-plagued body.
Yet to play in 2010 due to a string of leg problems, Price on Tuesday announced his 17th campaign would be his last at a press conference in Auckland.
Price, 36, who won’t play against his former club Canterbury on Saturday and isn’t sure when he will be back on the paddock as he attempts to overcome a heel injury, said the time was right to walk away.
“Rugby league is my passion, I love the game and I love the sport,” Price said.
“After 17 seasons, I want to spend more time with my family.
“It’s taken a while to come up with the decision.
“I thought I’d be a blubbering mess today, but really it’s a relief.”
Price denied his pre-season axing from the club captaincy had any influence on his decision to call it quits, with coach Ivan Cleary admitting the workhorse big man would be hard to replace.
“It’s a little bit sad I guess today,” Cleary said.
“It’s a big hole and it’s certainly hard to fill. I don’t know if we can directly fill it.”
Price said his first priority was to get back on the field, though he hoped to return in time to push his claims for a berth in the Queensland side chasing a fifth straight series win.
Price played the first 11 seasons of his career with the Bulldogs before moving to the Warriors for the 2005 season.
He has played 313 games in the NRL, 15 Tests for Australia and 28 games for the Maroons, where his engine room combination with Petero Civoniceva has been crucial to Queensland’s run of success.
Facts on Steve Price, who on Tuesday announced he will retire from rugby league at the end of this season:
Date of birth: March 3, 1974
Position: Prop
Height: 1.93m
Weight: 107kg
Representative honours: 15 Tests for Australia, 28 State of Origin matches for Queensland
NRL debut: 1994 for Canterbury Bulldogs
NRL appearances: 313, including 222 for Canterbury.
NRL tries: 35
New Zealand Warriors debut: March, 2005, v Manly.
New Zealand Warriors appearances: 91.
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