Dolphins lock Ray Stone has had to retire from the NRL at the age of 29 due to ongoing injuries.
With his contract ending this year, Stone has informed his Dolphins teammates that he will not continue playing beyond this season.
He fought through shoulder issues to participate in almost all of the last season, earning praise from Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf for his resilience during last year's awards ceremony.
Stone's career is marked by his ruggedness, often likened to a dependable old Kingswood from the 1970s, reflecting a playing style reminiscent of that era.
Making his NRL debut in 2018, he has played a total of 108 matches.
His five-year tenure at Parramatta concluded prematurely in 2022 after he suffered a ruptured ACL while scoring a crucial try in golden point.
By then, he had already committed to the Dolphins, making him one of the club's inaugural players.
"Dolphins CEO Terry Reader stated, "There is no doubt that Ray has come to the club and entrenched himself as a real hard man and one of the fans' favourite players."
Reader added, "He will forever hold a place in the history as the second NRL player signed by the club, and he has returned that favour by playing every game in a tough and uncompromising manner.
"We will always be thankful to Ray for the effort he has put in for the Dolphins and wish him and his young family all the best for the future."
Stone made his return from injury in last week's victory over Manly, as the Dolphins set their sights on a top-four finish before their first finals campaign.