Dolphins supporters are paying tribute to fan favorite Ray Stone after the 29-year-old revealed he will retire at the season's end, despite speculation linking him to the Penrith Panthers. Known as 'The Man of Stone,' he faced ongoing shoulder issues last season, earning special recognition from Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf for his resilience at last year's awards night.
Stone began his professional career with the Parramatta Eels in 2018, where he played 31 matches over five years before a ruptured ACL ended his Eels journey prematurely while scoring a golden point try. He signed with the Dolphins in 2023 as their second recruit, and he has become more consistent on the field under Woolf, participating in 22 games over the past two seasons.
This season, he aims to increase his total to 16 games as the Dolphins enter finals play. Stone's announcement comes as a surprise, especially since he has played 108 games throughout his career. In a statement, the Dolphins shared that Stone spoke to his teammates before his retirement announcement, citing his ongoing injuries as a reason.
Fans have rallied around the popular forward, who consistently pushed his limits for his teammates. Stone faces his former team, the Eels, this weekend as the Dolphins chase a top-four finish. Despite being linked to a one-year deal with the Panthers, he chose to retire.
Dolphins CEO Terry Reader noted in the statement, "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. He will forever hold a place in the history as the second NRL player signed by the club, and we will always be thankful to Ray for the effort he has put in for the Dolphins."