South Sydney and former Queensland State of Origin enforcer Jai Arrow will retire from the NRL immediately after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Souths chief executive Blake Solly revealed the devastating diagnosis on Wednesday.
Arrow remained silent during Souths’ press conference while he sat alongside Solly as he delivered the harrowing news.
Only 30 years old, Arrow has played 98 games for the Rabbitohs since Wayne Bennett lured the classy forward to the club in 2021 after handing the then-25-year-old his first-grade debut at Brisbane a decade ago.
Arrow proposed to his fiancée Berina Colakovic during a romantic post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024.
That December, the loved-up couple took to Instagram to reveal they were expecting their first child together.
Souths star Jai Arrow (pictured with partner Berina Colakovic) has retired effective immediately after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease
The 30-year-old star remained silent in the press conference as club CEO Blake Solly delivered the harrowing news
Arrow and his partner are parents to daughter Ayla Rae, who was born in April last year
Their daughter Ayla Rae was born in April 2025.
‘After extensive medical testing and consultations regarding ongoing symptoms, I’ve recently received a diagnosis relating to a nerve and neurological condition,’ Solly said on Arrow’s behalf.
‘Further tests, specialist reviews and medical processes are still ongoing, and my doctors are continuing to assess my condition.
‘Over recent months, my symptoms have affected different parts of my everyday life.
‘On medical advice, I’m currently not medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I’ll be stepping away from those duties wile I focus fully on my health treatment and rehabilitation.’
Bennett praised Arrow, saying the Bunnies star ‘always puts his family and his team first’.
‘This is a difficult time for Jai and his family, however, we want to pay tribute to him for everything he has given his teammates, his coaches and his communities in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the people of Queensland, and here in Sydney,’ Bennett said.
‘Most importantly, we pay tribute to him for the family man he has become.
‘He is a special guy and we’re all very lucky to have him at our club and in our lives.’
Arrow also had four seasons at Gold Coast following his two-season stint at the Broncos and played 12 games for Queensland between 2018 and 2023.
He helped the Maroons win series in 2020, 2022 and 2023 while also playing in the Rabbitohs’ 2021 grand final loss to Penrith.
Arrow’s diagnosis comes two and a half years after former Maroons hardman Carl Webb died of MND aged 42.
The rugby league world was also rocked when Western Suburbs, Balmain and North Sydney great Scott Gale died of the debilitating condition at just 39 in 2004.
More to come…
