'Epitome of courage' - How Foran fought on for 17 years

The Advertiser

11-07-2025

Kieran Foran has detailed how he defied a broken body and the logic of retirement for years before finally deciding this will be his last season in the NRL.
One of rugby league's great survivors, Foran confirmed on Friday he will retire at the end of the season - his 17th - set to finish with close to 315 games to his name.
The Gold Coast playmaker will move into a mentoring role with the Titans, while also likely juggling media commitments as part of life after football.
Foran's career is one of two halves, after scoring with one of his first touches on debut in 2009 for Manly and winning a premiership two years later.
He was one of the best young talents in the game, a tough and hard-running five-eighth who regularly took on the line and defended with little regard for his body.
But when he left Manly on a mega four-year deal with Parramatta in 2016, Foran's career and world changed.
He battled highly-publicised personal demons, has since opened up about self harm and battled injury after injury that threatened to force him into a medical retirement.
Between 2016 and 2020, Foran managed only 66 games across fives season at the Eels, Warriors and Canterbury.
Foran, who will turn 35 on Sunday, has previously spoken of privately questioning if he could play on, before a career lifeline arrived from Des Hasler back at Manly in 2021.
Five seasons later, he will now finish his career on his own terms.
"Over the course of time, there were certain moments of doubt and times where I wasn't sure whether I could keep going or should keep going," Foran said on Friday.
"But that inner belief always overrode those doubts.
"There's always been an internal belief that I wasn't quite finished and quite done, despite a number of setbacks and surgeries.
"I never felt that I'd reached my potential, even all those years ago when I did look like a broken body and a broken soul, I still believed that there was a lot more left."
Given the setbacks, it defies logic that Foran will finish his career as the NRL's longest-serving current player.
He is also one of 55 members of the 300-game club, and played 31 Tests for New Zealand with wins in the 2014 Four Nations and 2023 Pacific Championship.
"I borrowed a phrase from the Maori language ... Te Maia," Hasler said as he sat alongside Foran on Friday.
"When translated it means to stand with courage. And doesn't that truly epitomise the man?
"To stand with courage both in football and dealing with events in his life off-field.
"To stand with courage also means you face consequences. I really think that epitomises him."
Foran's relationship with Hasler cannot be understated. The veteran coach gave him his debut him at Manly, signed him to the Bulldogs and offered him the 2021 lifeline at the Sea Eagles.
The pair were then reunited on the Gold Coast when Hasler arrived there last year.
There is also the potential they could go out together, with questions swirling around Hasler's future.
"I came out of high school at 18 and ... I just I held on to every word Dessy said and I still do," Foran said.
"I've never seen someone have a desire like Des. Des has a work ethic and and all these incredible traits that I wanted to have myself.
"I just felt he really moulded and shaped my game in those early years. I just felt like I owed it to him because of how much he wanted it."
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Kieran Foran has detailed how he defied a broken body and the logic of retirement for years before finally deciding this will be his last season in the NRL.
One of rugby league's great survivors, Foran confirmed on Friday he will retire at the end of the season - his 17th - set to finish with close to 315 games to his name.
The Gold Coast playmaker will move into a mentoring role with the Titans, while also likely juggling media commitments as part of life after football.
Foran's career is one of two halves, after scoring with one of his first touches on debut in 2009 for Manly and winning a premiership two years later.
He was one of the best young talents in the game, a tough and hard-running five-eighth who regularly took on the line and defended with little regard for his body.
But when he left Manly on a mega four-year deal with Parramatta in 2016, Foran's career and world changed.
He battled highly-publicised personal demons, has since opened up about self harm and battled injury after injury that threatened to force him into a medical retirement.
Between 2016 and 2020, Foran managed only 66 games across fives season at the Eels, Warriors and Canterbury.
Foran, who will turn 35 on Sunday, has previously spoken of privately questioning if he could play on, before a career lifeline arrived from Des Hasler back at Manly in 2021.
Five seasons later, he will now finish his career on his own terms.
"Over the course of time, there were certain moments of doubt and times where I wasn't sure whether I could keep going or should keep going," Foran said on Friday.
"But that inner belief always overrode those doubts.
"There's always been an internal belief that I wasn't quite finished and quite done, despite a number of setbacks and surgeries.
"I never felt that I'd reached my potential, even all those years ago when I did look like a broken body and a broken soul, I still believed that there was a lot more left."
Given the setbacks, it defies logic that Foran will finish his career as the NRL's longest-serving current player.
He is also one of 55 members of the 300-game club, and played 31 Tests for New Zealand with wins in the 2014 Four Nations and 2023 Pacific Championship.
"I borrowed a phrase from the Maori language ... Te Maia," Hasler said as he sat alongside Foran on Friday.
"When translated it means to stand with courage. And doesn't that truly epitomise the man?
"To stand with courage both in football and dealing with events in his life off-field.
"To stand with courage also means you face consequences. I really think that epitomises him."
Foran's relationship with Hasler cannot be understated. The veteran coach gave him his debut him at Manly, signed him to the Bulldogs and offered him the 2021 lifeline at the Sea Eagles.
The pair were then reunited on the Gold Coast when Hasler arrived there last year.
There is also the potential they could go out together, with questions swirling around Hasler's future.
"I came out of high school at 18 and ... I just I held on to every word Dessy said and I still do," Foran said.
"I've never seen someone have a desire like Des. Des has a work ethic and and all these incredible traits that I wanted to have myself.
"I just felt he really moulded and shaped my game in those early years. I just felt like I owed it to him because of how much he wanted it."
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Kieran Foran has detailed how he defied a broken body and the logic of retirement for years before finally deciding this will be his last season in the NRL.
One of rugby league's great survivors, Foran confirmed on Friday he will retire at the end of the season - his 17th - set to finish with close to 315 games to his name.
The Gold Coast playmaker will move into a mentoring role with the Titans, while also likely juggling media commitments as part of life after football.
Foran's career is one of two halves, after scoring with one of his first touches on debut in 2009 for Manly and winning a premiership two years later.
He was one of the best young talents in the game, a tough and hard-running five-eighth who regularly took on the line and defended with little regard for his body.
But when he left Manly on a mega four-year deal with Parramatta in 2016, Foran's career and world changed.
He battled highly-publicised personal demons, has since opened up about self harm and battled injury after injury that threatened to force him into a medical retirement.
Between 2016 and 2020, Foran managed only 66 games across fives season at the Eels, Warriors and Canterbury.
Foran, who will turn 35 on Sunday, has previously spoken of privately questioning if he could play on, before a career lifeline arrived from Des Hasler back at Manly in 2021.
Five seasons later, he will now finish his career on his own terms.
"Over the course of time, there were certain moments of doubt and times where I wasn't sure whether I could keep going or should keep going," Foran said on Friday.
"But that inner belief always overrode those doubts.
"There's always been an internal belief that I wasn't quite finished and quite done, despite a number of setbacks and surgeries.
"I never felt that I'd reached my potential, even all those years ago when I did look like a broken body and a broken soul, I still believed that there was a lot more left."
Given the setbacks, it defies logic that Foran will finish his career as the NRL's longest-serving current player.
He is also one of 55 members of the 300-game club, and played 31 Tests for New Zealand with wins in the 2014 Four Nations and 2023 Pacific Championship.
"I borrowed a phrase from the Maori language ... Te Maia," Hasler said as he sat alongside Foran on Friday.
"When translated it means to stand with courage. And doesn't that truly epitomise the man?
"To stand with courage both in football and dealing with events in his life off-field.
"To stand with courage also means you face consequences. I really think that epitomises him."
Foran's relationship with Hasler cannot be understated. The veteran coach gave him his debut him at Manly, signed him to the Bulldogs and offered him the 2021 lifeline at the Sea Eagles.
The pair were then reunited on the Gold Coast when Hasler arrived there last year.
There is also the potential they could go out together, with questions swirling around Hasler's future.
"I came out of high school at 18 and ... I just I held on to every word Dessy said and I still do," Foran said.
"I've never seen someone have a desire like Des. Des has a work ethic and and all these incredible traits that I wanted to have myself.
"I just felt he really moulded and shaped my game in those early years. I just felt like I owed it to him because of how much he wanted it."
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636