NRL supporters are coming together to support Melbourne Storm forward Tui Kamikamica, who has announced his retirement from the sport due to medical reasons after experiencing a stroke earlier this season.
Fans were taken aback when Kamikamica underwent surgery on both his brain and heart in March after having a stroke at his residence in Melbourne. After this life-changing event, the beloved Fijian seemed poised for a return to the field, as a brain specialist gave him temporary clearance to resume play. However, the Melbourne Storm has now confirmed that Kamikamica has played his last match in both the NRL and for the Fiji team.
"I'm incredibly proud of everything I've been able to achieve in the game, representing Storm and captaining my country," Kamikamica expressed in a statement on Thursday.
"Melbourne Storm has been a huge part of my life for the past 10 years. I'm so grateful to the Club, my teammates, coaches, staff and everyone who has supported me and my family throughout my rugby league career. To play for Storm and captain Fiji are memories I'll cherish forever. I want to thank everyone at Storm for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to play at the highest level. Melbourne will always be a special place for me and my family and I'm looking forward to my next chapter in life."
The 32-year-old's retirement is especially disappointing for him as he had hoped to represent Fiji as captain in the upcoming World Cup. Throughout his career, Kamikamica has earned 23 caps for Fiji.
Coach Craig Bellamy named Kamikamica as part of the club's leadership group at the start of last season, and he became a life member of the Melbourne Storm on Monday, reflecting more than ten years of service to the team. Following the announcement of his retirement, fans quickly sent their good wishes to him.
Reflecting on Kamikamica's impact, Melbourne Storm football director Frank Ponissi highlighted the person behind the player. "Tui has been a fantastic player for us, but more importantly, he's been a fantastic person," Ponissi remarked.
"He came into the system as a young man and developed into an important member of the team, a leader, and someone his teammates could always rely on. To play 142 games for this Club and captain Fiji is a terrific achievement and something Tui should be incredibly proud of. We're going to miss having him around the team, but he can look back on his career knowing he gave everything he had to his Club, teammates and country."
This challenging season for the Storm also saw other players sidelined, including Eli Katoa, who will miss the remainder of the season due to multiple head injuries sustained while playing for Tonga in the Pacific Championships. Additionally, Xavier Coates suffered a setback while trying to regain fitness, while Ryan Pappenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona departed before the season began. Winger Will Warbrick played his final game for the Storm before transferring to the Warriors, following an Achilles injury.