NRL's ‘ultimate competitor' calls it quits
Foran, 34, will play his 310th match against the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday and, with the club also set to move on coach Des Hasler, said the time was right for him to hang up his boots.
'This is a game I have loved ever since I was a young boy, so coming to the decision was a difficult one … but it's now something that I'm really comfortable with,' Foran said.
'Announcing my retirement now allows the club time to plan for 2026 and it also allows me to start preparing for my future after football.
'I'm still as competitive as ever and every time I pull on the Titans jersey over the next few months, I'm going to be giving everything I've got.'
Foran began his NRL career with Manly in 2009 and played 196 games for the club across two stints. He also spent time with the Parramatta Eels (nine games), New Zealand Warriors (17 games), Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs (40 games) and the Titans (47 games to date).
He also won an NRL premiership as well as Four Nations and Pacific Championships titles with New Zealand, having captained his country.
'I'm most proud of the fact I've been able to live out my dream as a young boy and go on to play 17 seasons in the NRL,' he said.
'The joy that has brought to my family, extended family, friends and fans of our game and the lessons that I've learnt along the way will help me immensely in the next phase of my life.'
'I want to thank all five of the clubs that I've played for over my career.
'I want to pay tribute to the teammates I've had at those clubs and the supporters and fans of each and every one of those clubs that have supported me across my time wearing their club colours.
'From my early teammates to the current group here at the Titans, I've formed lifelong friendships and bonds that I'm forever grateful for.'
Foran spent much of his career playing under Hasler, who handed him his debut almost two decades ago, and lauded him as 'one of the NRL's ultimate competitors'.
'His career has been quite a journey which he has had to navigate highs and lows, but what he has achieved over the past 17 seasons truly epitomises his character and perseverance,' Hasler said.
'Since he debuted, his fighting spirit has become legendary and, in his words, he has always been all-in.
'This won't change for the remainder of his final season.
'His story and journey won't be lost to the game when he hangs up the boots and his future in mentoring young men and women will ensure his legacy continues.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
4 hours ago
- The Australian
Panthers coach Cleary warns rivals of more improvement to come
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary is saying all the things that should create a little bit of fear among the NRL frontrunners as his team looks to make it eight wins straight against the Titans on Saturday. The four-time reigning premiers are still 'hunting' after their shock slow start, can still 'get a lot better' and have several dominant seasons worth of late-season success driving a growing confidence they can contend for five. Having spent time on the bottom of the NRL ladder in 2025, Cleary and his men know the job remains ahead of them to just stay in the top eight, with matches against top-four teams the Storm, Raiders and Bulldogs in the run to the finals. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary says his in-form team can still play better. Picture: Tom Parrish But what Cleary has seen in recent weeks, and past years, as well as what his players have done, has given him confidence about what's to come for his side that sits just outside the top four. 'Even over the last seven weeks our performances have continued to grow and I feel like there's more in us,' he said on Thursday. 'We've come through the Origin period where you team is just not together, sometimes they play, but they don't train throughout the week, so in terms cohesion and connection, I definitely think we can get better. It's exciting times for us.' Cleary said there was 'definitely' a confidence that came with previous achievements, if only as a reminder to his players what they were capable of when they put the work in. 'We've got confidence from the past in terms of the core of our team have produced in big games over many years,' he said. The Panthers are surging again. Picture:'But also this team, new circumstances, and it has grown in confidence over the last couple of months. 'If we can connect all of that together, it gives us a lot of belief we continue to work hard on the fundamentals. We have got a lot of belief that will hold up when it counts.' But Cleary also knows his team needs to maintain the desire that has propelled them back to this point. 'We have come from the bottom and we are still in the bottom of the eight. We feel like we are still hunting,' he said. 'I'm honestly not really worrying about the ladder. We are worrying about the Titans. 'We will finish where we deserve. If that's in the eight, then a new competition begins.'
The Australian
4 hours ago
- The Australian
Melbourne Storm defeat Parramatta Eels 16-10
The Storm have passed their first test without injured halfback Jahrome Hughes, but it wasn't the sort of performance that will strike fear into their premiership rivals after they survived an off night with the boot from Ryan Papenhuyzen to edge the Eels. The 16-10 win moves Melbourne into second spot for now but there are still major questions over their attack with Storm fans hoping to see their re-signed playmaker back in time for the finals. Cameron Munster set up the first try of the night with a perfect kick for Eli Katoa and then set up the high-flying Xavier Coates for the winner with another kick that saw the winger sail over Zac Lomax to cross with 11 minutes to go. But they clearly missed the reigning Dally M Medal winner on the right edge, with Tyran Wishart not having much of an impact. Jonah Pezet came on with 12 minutes to go and could be an option given he's a traditional halfback which would allow Wishart to go back to the bench and carve up against tiring forwards. While the attack wasn't at its clinical best, Craig Bellamy would have been thrilled with Stefano Utoikamanu who had his best game for the club, with the recruit busting four tackles in a crucial run a couple of plays before Coates scored the winner. BLUE AND GOLD STANDARD Honourable losses late in the season don't often mean much, but it's a slightly different story for the Eels who have come a long way in 2025 under new coach Jason Ryles. While finals are out of the question, you only have to go back to their round one loss in Melbourne to see how far they've come under the rookie coach who has made sweeping changes to the team that will help them in the long run. The Storm put 56 points on them in round one but struggled to break them down in greasy conditions, with Parramatta's defence backing up their effort against Brisbane last week. Their attack wasn't as crisp as we've seen this year but the past couple of weeks will give Ryles the confidence that his side has the temperament and the game plan to match it with the top teams. RYAN WHERE? Ryan Papenhuyzen celebrated his return from a calf injury with a couple of threatening early carries, but it wasn't a happy comeback for the man who has been linked with a move to a rival code. In his first game in a month, the Storm fullback missed three shots at goal, including a conversion attempt from next to the posts that struck both uprights. He sprayed a long-range penalty goal and then missed another shot that would have given them the lead late on, with Nick Meaney replacing him to slot a tricky conversion to give them a crucial six-point lead. GUESSING GAME Only Charlie Guymer will know if he got the ball down for Parramatta's second try, because fans are none the wiser despite 20 replays which showed us nothing. Guymer threw a pass that was knocked down by Coates and brilliantly regathered to score what looked like a try which was awarded by the referee. The Bunker spent a couple of minutes looking at a stack of angles that never showed the ball on the ground, but the on-field decision was supported and thankfully didn't decide the game. NRL Superstar prop Payne Haas could be a shock withdrawal for the Broncos' clash with the Rabbitohs after being struck down by illness, in what could be a double blow for the side after the loss of another forward. NRL Amid claims of declining standards after their fourth-straight loss to start the year, players and staff at the Raiders have come together for an honesty session in a bid to address their issues and save their NRLW season.
The Australian
4 hours ago
- The Australian
NRL player agents face bans after Port Macquarie schoolboy carnival fight
Two leading NRL player agents are facing six and nine-month bans and $25,000 in fines after allegedly being involved in an altercation at a schoolboy rugby league carnival. Chris Orr and Nash Dawson were hit with breach notices by the NRL on Thursday after an investigation into the incident during the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League Championships in 2024. Orr, who represents Storm star Jarrome Hughes and Newcastle recruit Dylan Brown, and Dawson, who manages Broncos duo Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam, were cited for breaching the NRL Accredited Player Agent Scheme rules and the Accredited Agents' Code of Conduct. Reece Walsh with manager Nash Dawson Picture: Liam Kidston It is also alleged the agents failed to co-operate with the NRL Integrity Unit. In a statement, the NRL declared the agents were 'required to operate with high personal and professional standards' and failed to do so. It's understood the two agents had a physical altercation outside a Port Macquarie pub last year while they were in town for the underage championships. They pair have five business days to respond to the breach notice. Rival player managers Mario Tartak and Matt Desira were issued notices last month for allegedly breaching NRL agent accreditation rules.
