By Simon Brunsdon and Brett Graham
Benji Marshall has called clip connected his NRL career, with the 36-year-old hanging up the boots aft 346 matches successful the apical grade.
An affectional Marshall fronted media this day to marque the announcement that Sunday's grand last nonaccomplishment to Penrith was his last game.
"I started disconnected my travel successful rugby league arsenic a tiny lad from Whakatane chasing a dream, and permission this crippled arsenic a grown man," Marshall said done tears.
"I've learned a batch of beingness lessons... I consciousness privileged and honoured for what the crippled has fixed me, the beingness I've been capable to live."
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Last week, successful the lead-up to the expansive final, Marshall shocked media erstwhile helium revealed helium hadn't decided to retire, arsenic galore expected him to bash this year.
Again instantly aft the nonaccomplishment to Penrith helium said helium didn't cognize whether helium would oregon wouldn't, but came to the decision helium should bent up the boots connected Tuesday morning.
"I conscionable don't deliberation it gets immoderate better, successful presumption of timing," helium said.
"The much I thought astir it, if I didn't marque this determination present I would astir apt play until I'm 40. I conscionable emotion the crippled truthful overmuch but this felt similar the close clip for me.
"I felt similar determination was a batch of bully worldly being said astir me, and I would've hated for that to spell connected for 1 play excessively long.
"I did see playing on, I did. But the much I thought astir it the much it was clip for maine to determination on. My household has enactment successful a batch of sacrifice moving astir for maine and doing things for me, and I deliberation it's clip for maine to alteration that and enactment my household first."
The Rabbitohs, and manager Wayne Bennett, threw Marshall a lifeline earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile it appeared the playmaker's NRL vocation was finished, having been released by his beloved Wests Tigers.
Marshall's signing turned retired to beryllium 1 of the champion of the year, with the seasoned playing 22 matches for the Bunnies, including the expansive final.
But Marshall volition everlastingly beryllium known arsenic a Tiger, his celebrated flick walk to teammate Pat Richards to triumph the 2005 expansive last 1 of rugby league's enduring highlights.
After the expansive last connected Sunday helium said helium didn't cognize whether helium would discontinue oregon effort to proceed his vocation into 2022.
"I made the No.14 jersey my ain this twelvemonth and was enjoying it," helium said.
"I'm highly grateful much than thing to person the accidental to correspond this large nine and play with the players I got to play with this year."
Marshall made his archetypal people debut for the Wests Tigers successful 2003, and played successful the club's 2005 expansive last triumph implicit North Queensland.
He near Concord and went to play rugby national concisely successful Auckland, but returned to the NRL to play for the Dragons, past Broncos, past Tigers again, earlier his 2021 run with South Sydney.
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