SYDNEY - Parramatta captain and former Kiwis international Nathan Cayless has confirmed he will retire from the NRL at the end of this season.
Cayless, who last weekend became the first player to captain one NRL club in 200 games, said he was always planning to hang up the boots
at the end of the current campaign.
The 32-year-old has come under pressure to hold on to his starting berth after several poor displays to start the season, with some critics also calling for him to be stripped of the captaincy.
"It's been a privilege to be able to play for so long and captain such a great club," Cayless said in a statement.
"I've had great support from my family, teammates and people within the club. We've been through a lot of tough times and a lot of good times.
"Irrespective of what was happening this was always going to be my last year, I was always going to announce it once I'd finalised a couple of job positions."
Cayless said he would now concentrate on helping lift the Eels from their disastrous start to the season, with last week's loss to Cronulla leaving the one-time premiership favourites with one win from four games.
Cayless played 36 tests for New Zealand from 1998 to 2008.
- AAP
