Rory Kostjasyn has retired from the NRL without playing a game for Newcastle after being unable to fully overcome a throat injury.
Kostjasyn, 30, suffered the injury in a pre-season training mishap after joining the Knights at the end of 2016 from North Queensland, where he won the premiership a year earlier.
As a result of the injury, he suffered narrowed airway despite multiple surgeries.
Kostjasyn said his body was unable to adapt to the reduced airway, forcing him to give up rugby league reluctantly.
The utility played 126 games, beginning his career at Melbourne in 2010.
"I'm not over playing footy. I wish I could still run out every weekend, but it's no longer possible anymore," he told the Knights website.
"As many times as people come and say, throughout your career, 'it can be all gone in a second', everyone sits there and thinks it probably won't happen to me.
"But it does happen to people and unfortunately that's how my career will finish."
Kostjasyn said the injury occurred during a "run-of-the-mill" defensive training exercise in January.
He was initially expected to miss only the first six weeks of the NRL season.
The Central Coast product said the last seven months have been the toughest of his life.
"Unfortunately, it's a challenge that I've been unable to overcome," he said.
Kostjasyn joined the Cowboys ahead of the 2013 season, playing off the bench in the grand final triumph over Brisbane in 2015.
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