Manly Sea Eagles captain Jamie Lyon has announced on Wednesday Morning during a press conference he will hang up the boots and retire from the NRL at the end of the current 2016 season.
The veteran has enjoyed terrific stints in both Australia and England, playing out a terrific club career while controversially shunning representative football. In among all that he has won premierships with the Sea Eagles and become a true club legend.
Lyon’s long and decorated career in the NRL, becoming one of the game’s premier centres. Making his debut in 2000 for the Parramatta Eels, he would play 70 games for the club before leaving in strange circumstances during the 2004 season, announcing his retirement at just 22 years of age.
He would settle with the Parramatta Eels, seeking a return to his junior club the Wee Waa Panthers. The Eels would eventually clear him to play out west, and the Panthers would win the Country Group 4 premiership.
On August 17, 2004 Lyon was signed by English Super League Club Saint Helens. They had to outlay $150,000 to clear Lyon of his existing contract and the centre would spend two years in England, playing 60 games and scoring 44 tries.
Lyon returned home to the Manly Sea Eagles for the start of the 2007 NRL season, where he has been ever since. He has now played 223 games for the Sea Eagles, scoring 84 tries and kicking 512 goals.
Lyon first played representative Rugby League in 2001, representing the Australian national team where he played 8 matches, scoring four tries. He also played 10 games for the New South Wales, debuting in 2002 and two games for Country Origin, with the first of those coming in 2003.
Of course, Lyon may have played more representative games had he not retired from all non-club games in 2010.
At the press conference on Wednesday Morning, Lyon simply said ‘I know it’s time. The body aches a bit these days. It’s hard to get up for.’
Lyon also said that Manly coach Trent Barrett wanted him to stay for another season, but enough was enough.
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