Dylan Farrell's battle to overcome his ongoing back injury is over, with the St George Illawarra centre announcing his retirement from the NRL.
The 25-year-old has been struggling to beat the injury for more than a year now, and has not played since round 25 of last season.
And on Thursday he made the decision to bring his 89-game NRL career to a close.
"It is not the way that I would have preferred to bow out, but deep down I know it is the best decision for both my family and myself moving forward in the long run," Farrell said.
"I have enjoyed every minute playing rugby league and wish I could have returned to the field but unfortunately it was not meant to be."
Farrell made his debut for South Sydney in 2010, and scored 32 tries in his six-year career.
He was also named in the under-20s team of the year that season.
"Dylan is a hard-working player who was never afraid to roll-up his sleeves and help get the job done," Dragons coach Paul McGregor said.
"It is unfortunate that his ongoing battle with injury has gotten the better of him but he is the type of person who will bounce back from this and turn it into a positive for the rest of his life."
