Marcelo Montoya Calls Time on His Rugby League Career
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have officially announced the retirement of winger Marcelo Montoya from rugby league, effective immediately.
Although Montoya had indicated in June that he would retire at the end of the season, he chose to step away sooner following a NSW Cup match on Sunday against the Western Suburbs Magpies, where he scored a try in the 60th minute, contributing to a narrow 36-30 defeat.
The 30-year-old has faced significant challenges over the past two seasons, grappling with injuries and the physical toll of the sport.
A product of the local Bankstown Bulls junior program, Montoya developed through the Bulldogs' pathways, later playing for both the Belmore-based club and the New Zealand Warriors.
In their announcement, the Bulldogs stated that Montoya will take on a role focused on player wellbeing and will also support pathways coaches.
"Although I had the intention to finish off the season, the reality is my body just can't keep up with the rigours of first-grade footy anymore," Montoya expressed.
"I want to thank the Bulldogs for giving me my NRL debut back in 2017 and for bringing me back home to allow me to finish my career where it started."
"I'm excited to begin my next chapter - and will be cheering the boys on as they prepare for a big back end of the season."
Throughout this season, Montoya participated in eight NRL matches, scoring once.