South Sydney Rabbitohs and former Queensland State of Origin forward Jai Arrow has retired from the NRL with immediate effect after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. The 30-year-old, a father to a baby daughter and engaged to be married, received the diagnosis following extensive medical testing and consultations over ongoing symptoms, the club confirmed on Wednesday.
Arrow sat beside Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly during a press conference but did not speak. Solly read a prepared statement on Arrow’s behalf, revealing that further tests, specialist reviews and medical assessments are continuing. “Over recent months, my symptoms have affected different parts of my everyday life,” the statement said. “On medical advice, I’m currently not medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I’ll be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health treatment and rehabilitation.” Arrow asked for support, understanding and privacy for his family, adding: “What I need right now isn’t sympathy or sadness.”
The diagnosis ends the NRL career of a player who amassed 178 first-grade games across three clubs since making his debut for Brisbane in 2016. Arrow played 24 games for the Broncos, 56 for the Gold Coast Titans, and 98 for Souths after being lured to the club by coach Wayne Bennett in 2021. He represented Queensland 12 times in State of Origin between 2018 and 2023, winning series in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and also played for the Prime Minister’s XIII in 2019 and Australia in the Rugby League World Cup 9s in 2019. Arrow was a key figure in Souths’ run to the 2021 grand final, which they lost to Penrith.
Awards in recent seasons underline his standing at the club. Arrow won the George Piggins Medal as Souths’ player of the year in 2025, the Bob McCarthy Clubperson of the Year award in 2025, the Souths Cares Award for outstanding community contributions in 2025, and The Burrow Appreciation Award in 2024. He was also a finalist for the NRL’s Ken Stephen Medal in 2025 for his work with Souths Cares, Whatability and Vinnies Vans. Earlier in his career, he was named Brisbane’s Best Forward, Player’s Player, and Under-20s Player of the Year in 2015. Bennett paid tribute to Arrow’s character, saying he “always puts his family and his team first” and “never let me down”. Solly stressed that Arrow, his fiancée and daughter remain “very much part of the Rabbitohs family”.
Personal life
Arrow proposed to his fiancée, Berina Colakovic, during a post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in December 2024, and their daughter Ayla Rae was born in April 2025. Arrow is described by those who know him as a family man and a fiercely loyal teammate.
Motor neurone disease explained
Motor neurone disease is a progressive, life-shortening neurological condition that affects the motor neurones — the nerve cells that carry messages from the brain to the muscles. As these cells gradually stop working, the brain loses the ability to control the muscles responsible for movement, speech and breathing. In time this leads to muscle weakness, paralysis, and difficulty with walking, talking, eating, swallowing and breathing.
Early symptoms can include weakness in an ankle or leg — such as finding it hard to walk upstairs — slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, a weak grip, muscle twitches and cramps, and gradual weight loss. MND is rare, mainly affecting people in their 60s and 70s, but it can strike adults of all ages. It is considered exceptionally rare to be diagnosed at age 30. The exact cause is unknown, though research suggests a potential link between frequent strenuous exercise and an increased risk, particularly in individuals with a genetic predisposition. Head impacts in contact sports have also been examined as a possible contributing factor, but no direct causal link has been confirmed.
There is currently no cure for MND. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms to improve quality of life and can include physiotherapy, dietary advice, mobility equipment, home adaptations and medication for symptoms such as muscle stiffness. Life expectancy varies, but for the most common form — amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — it is typically between two and five years from first symptoms, though some people live longer. In Australia, around 2,750 people are living with MND at any one time, according to support organisations.
The diagnosis has hit the rugby league world hard. Arrow’s news comes two and a half years after former Queensland enforcer Carl Webb died of MND at the age of 42. Webb was diagnosed in 2020 and established the Carl Webb Foundation to raise awareness and funds. In 2004, Western Suburbs, Balmain and North Sydney great Scott Gale died of the condition at just 39. MND has also affected Australian rules, with AFL legend Neale Daniher diagnosed in 2013; he co-founded the charity FightMND and was named Australian of the Year in 2025. In English rugby league, Rob Burrow died of MND, while in rugby union Doddie Weir died in late 2022 at 52, and former England captain Lewis Moody was diagnosed in 2025. Football has also seen diagnoses, with former Premier League players Stephen Darby and Marcus Stewart both stepping away from the game.
Arrow’s club had previously cited a shoulder injury as the reason for his absence in 2026, a cover that allowed the situation to be managed privately. Solly said: “Unfortunately, we won’t see Jai on the field of play in the NRL again due to this diagnosis, but handling this situation is much more important than football for Jai and his family.”
