Origin and premiership-winning forward Ryan Matterson has announced his medical retirement after a battle with ongoing concussion issues.<\/p>\n
Matterson\u2019s last rugby league appearance came in September 2025, featuring for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League while on loan from the Eels.<\/p>\n
Matterson is in the final year of his Parramatta contract and took to social media to unveil the news, while also explaining the \u201ceffects of concussion\u201d led him to make the final call.<\/p>\n
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\u201cToday, I\u2019m announcing my medical retirement from rugby league,\u201d he wrote in a post on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many years, I\u2019ve battled the effects of concussion and the symptoms that have come with it. I\u2019ve tried to push through, manage it and keep doing what I love.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut over time, the symptoms have become harder to live with and unfortunately, they\u2019ve continued to get worse.<\/p>\n
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\u201cEventually, you have to make the hardest decision of your life and walk away from the thing you love, in order to protect the life you have ahead of you.<\/p>\n
\u201cRugby league was my childhood dream. I was incredibly lucky and privileged to live it for more than a decade. I gave everything I had to this game, and it gave me memories, friendships, lessons and experiences I will carry forever.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis decision hasn\u2019t come easy and it hurts.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old\u2019s career comes to an end after 181 NRL games and eight appearances in the Super League.<\/p>\n
He began his career at the Roosters, winning a premiership in 2018 before making a move to the Tigers for a singular season and even the Eels.<\/p>\n
Matterson also played one game for NSW during the 2022 Origin series.<\/p>\n
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