North Queensland Toyota Cowboys backrower Glenn Hall has announced his retirement from the National Rugby League at the end of the 2015 season.
Hall, 34, has played 98 games for the Cowboys over five seasons as part of a distinguished 13-season NRL career spanning five clubs - Canterbury Bulldogs 2002-03; South Sydney Rabbitohs 2004-05; Sydney Roosters 2006; Manly Sea Eagles 2007-09; North Queensland Cowboys 2011-15 – and 192 NRL games. He played for the Bradford Bulls in the English Super League in 2010.
Part of Manly’s 2008 premiership-winning team - where they routed the Melbourne Storm 40-0 in the grand final - Hall scored 29 tries in his career, including 13 while a Cowboy.
The veteran forward is a member of the club’s leadership group alongside co-captain Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott and fellow backrower Gavin Cooper, and has played three NRL games in 2015. He is also a key member of the Townsville Blackhawks team pushing for an Intrust Super Cup title in its maiden year.
Hall and his family – wife Kylie and children Indiana, 4, and Hendrix, 2 – are set to remain in Townsville where Hall will work for GTS Equipment and Labour Hire, which services the mining industry. He has almost completed a Certificate IV in Business as part of his preparing for life after rugby league.
“I’ve had a fantastic career over the 14 years and these last five seasons at the Cowboys have been especially memorable,” Hall said.
“I’m eternally grateful to the club for giving me this opportunity and my wife Kylie and I now proudly call North Queensland home.
“I wish to thank everyone in the NRL community for their support over the years, and especially all the Cowboys members and supporters over the past five seasons. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.”
Cowboys General Manager Football Peter Parr said Hall had been a loyal clubman at the Cowboys whose leadership qualities would be sorely missed.
“Hally has been terrific for this club on a number of different levels,” Parr said.
“He’s been a reliable player who has been a wonderful role model for our young players on and off the field.
“He’s a premiership winner and has played at a consistently high level for a number of years in the best rugby league competition in the world.”
