Matt Prior has confirmed that he will retire at the end of next season. The Leeds Rhinos prop, 35, is contracted until the end of next year and has confirmed he will call time on his career once his existing deal comes to an end.
Prior has spent the last three seasons with the Rhinos and was named one their player of the season during his maiden campaign, in which the club won the Challenge Cup. Now, he will look to depart having joined an exclusive group of players who have won a Grand Final in both the NRL and Super League.
He won two Premierships in the NRL, first with St George Illawarra in 2008 and then with Cronulla Sharks in 2016. Now, his aim is to win another in blue and amber.
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"That will definitely be my last season," he said. "I'm obviously getting on now.
"I've just got to take everything in this week. You never know what's going to happen next year. Being in the position I'm in this week, to win a Grand Final would be something special. I'm going to savour every moment."
Prior has been part of a side that has undertaken a huge turnaround. The Rhinos were near the bottom earlier in the campaign but are now one win away from a ninth Grand Final triumph. He credits coach Rohan Smith with being key to their transformation.
"He's just got a real relaxed attitude, nothing is ever really a problem. Before Rohan was here if things weren't always perfect we'd be bickering on the field. Things aren't always perfect now but there's no bickering now, we're always just playing for the next role if you know what I mean, we're just taking it moment by moment and focusing on the next job.
"If we get the job done, it would rank right up there with the other two Grand Finals that I was lucky enough to play in and win."
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