Luke Lewis broke the news of his impending retirement to Cronulla teammates in his own understated style during a video session.
Lewis publicly confirmed the 2018 NRL season would be his last Tuesday night via an announcement on TV, but it came after he had earlier surprised teammates without any warning in a team meeting.
"They were a little bit shocked," Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said.
"He announced it in a video session without any prompting. He started talking on what we needed to do in a game and then just said he was going to retire at the end of the year.
"They probably knew it was coming but they were pretty shocked about it.
"They love Lewie what he has done for the team and what he does day to day. He is going to be sorely missed."
Lewis is regarded as one of the good guys of the NRL but few speak more highly of him than Flanagan.
One of the Cronulla coach's first big signings during his second full year in charge in 2012, he arrived as a NSW and Kangaroos player and retires having been named man of the match in the club's maiden premiership win.
"He and Wade Graham came at the same time, Matty Prior. They've been a big part of the club changing on and off the field," Flanagan said.
"He's been great for our club. He's been great for me. The way he trains and prepares has been fantastic and that rubs off on players.
"He's been a real sounding board for me.
"Blokes like him and Gal (Paul Gallen) and Wade and Michael Ennis have been a real point of contact for me so I can get a feel for what is going on in the playing group."
Flanagan's relationship with Lewis goes well beyond the pair's days at the Sharks.
He coached him as a part of the 2002 Junior Kangaroos team, when Lewis played at centre in a team which also included Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith.
Since then, he has watched him win a title at Penrith, overcome thyroid cancer, claim two State of Origin series for NSW and win a World Cup for Australia before joining the NRL's 300-game club last year.
"He's one of the quality players of the modern game," Flanagan said.
"Luke's battled cancer, it hasn't been easy for him over the past couple of years.
"He's going to retire still an elite NRL player. His form will still be good and he is going to walk away from the game still at his best at least in a semi-final but hopefully in a grand final."
