NRL: Roosters star Luke Keary tipped to make retirement call

Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary is expected to announce his retirement from rugby league later this week.

Various media outlets are reporting that he will leave the NRL at the end of the season.

If that proves to be the case, Keary will bow out having played over 200 first-grade games for the two oldest clubs in the competition.

He won a premiership with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2014 and two more with the Roosters in 2018 and 2019, which included winning the 2018 Clive Churchill Medal.

The 32-year-old also represented New South Wales on one occasion in the 2020 State of Origin series, as well as playing for the Australia twice in 2018 and Ireland three times in the 2022 Rugby League World Cup.

Keary is contracted to the Roosters until the end of the 2025 season, and while the reason for his retirement is yet to be confirmed, there will likely be a link to his history of injury and concussion.

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The former Rabbitoh suffered a horrific run of five concussions between January 2018 and May 2019, with several more in the years leading up to the 2024 season.

If his retirement was to be concussion-related, it would free up salary cap space for the Roosters for the coming season.

It is unclear who will partner Roosters halfback Sam Walker beyond this season.

Sandon Smith could be the immediate option for the coming years, having played several games in the spine already this season when Walker was out injured.

Another option is the versatile Connor Watson, who has started at five-eighth twice this season.

In the meantime, Keary is expected to start for the Roosters when they face the Broncos in Brisbane in round nine.

Sydney head into Friday’s clash as $2.46 outsiders with the top NRL bookmakers, with the hosts pegged at $1.55 odds.

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