Parramatta Eels forward Ryan Matterson has announced his retirement following an ongoing battle with concussions.
The 31-year-old second rower sustained a head knock in preseason training, leaving him unable to take the field in 2026, and on Sunday he announced he's drawing the curtain on his 10-year playing career.
Matterson announced through social media, in an emotional tribute to his time in the NRL.
“The hardest part about chasing a dream is accepting when it's time to let it go,” Matterson said on his Instagram.
“Today, I'm announcing my medical retirement from rugby league.
“For many years, I've battled the effects of concussion and the symptoms that have come with it. I've tried to push through, manage it and keep doing what I love. But over time, the symptoms have become harder to live with, and unfortunately, they've continued to get worse.
“Eventually, you have to make the hardest decision of your life and walk away from the thing you love, in order to protect the life you have ahead of you.”
Matterson notched up 181 NRL games across stints at the Roosters, Tigers and Eels, while also having a brief trip in England with the Warrington Wolves.
He was called up by coach Brad Fittler in 2022 to make his State of Origin debut for the NSW Blues in Game 1 of the series.
The ball-playing forward also won a premiership with the Roosters in 2018 before making the switch to the Tigers the following year.
His stint in Concord was brief, and after 12 months he departed the club to link up with his local club, the Eels, where he played his best footy and took part in the 2022 NRL decider against the Panthers.
Earlier in the year, Matterson spoke of his ongoing headache and vision issues, surfacing after his head knock in February.
He was dragged into a messy stoush between the Eels and Melbourne Storm, where he was offered in a swap deal with Zac Lomax in March, but confirmed he held no conversations for a switch out of Sydney.
Matterson hasn't played professionally since September last year, when he laced up the boots in his last game with the Wolves in England, where he made eight appearances on a loan deal.
