Rugby league representative player Jai Arrow has retired from the NRL following a shock medical diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND). The South Sydney Rabbitohs and Queensland backrower, who was the club's reigning player of the year, had not played in the NRL in 2026 after an issue in pre-season that was described as a shoulder injury.
The 30-year-old issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that, after months of testing, he had recently received the diagnosis. “After extensive medical testing and consultations regarding ongoing symptoms, I have recently received a diagnosis relating to a nerve and neurological condition,” he said. “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 am not currently medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I will be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health, treatment, and rehabilitation.”
Around 2,750 people are living with MND in Australia. The condition describes a group of diseases that impact nerve cells which carry messages from the brain to muscles through the spinal cord. MND is life threatening, though the speed it affects each person is different. There is currently no cure.
Coach and Club Pay Tribute
Souths coach Wayne Bennett – who coached Arrow at the Rabbitohs and at the Broncos where he made his NRL debut almost a decade ago – described the backrower as “an honest, genuine, hard-working young man” who always puts his family and team before himself. “He has always been the same,” Bennett said. “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 south Sydney. 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 played 178 NRL games following his debut in 2016 and was awarded the George Piggins medal last year for the Rabbitohs’ best player, alongside other accolades for clubperson of the year and his contribution to the community. Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly said Arrow will always be part of the club. “Unfortunately, we won’t see Jai on the field of play in the NRL again due to this diagnosis, but handling this situation is much more important than football for Jai and his family,” he said. “We all know how difficult the past few months have been for Jai, but we also know that he will fight this illness with the same bravery, passion and character that was the hallmark of his playing career.”
