South Sydney co-captain Michael Crocker has announced his retirement after failing to recover from a knee injury.
The 33-year-old former Queensland and Australian forward, who won grand finals with Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters, joined Souths in 2009 and will draw the curtain on a 13-year career after his knee failed to respond to surgery.
"After undergoing surgery in April, my focus has been to get back on the field," Crocker said. "My goal was to captain South Sydney to a grand final win and to play again next season.
"It has been a challenging year and I have explored every possible option to get myself back playing. Unfortunately, I have arrived at the point where my knee is unable to meet the demands of professional football."
- AAP
