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Warriors player Adam Blair has announced that he will retire at the end of the current NRL season.
Warriors veteran Adam Blair will play his 331st and final game in the NRL against the Sea Eagles on Sunday.
The 34-year-old forward has announced that he will hang up his boots after 15 years at the highest level, refusing to make a choice to continue his long rugby league career in 2021.
Blair will retire as the record holder for the most appearances in New Zealand’s NRL ahead of three other former Kiwi captains in Benji Marshall (323), Ruben Wiki (311) and Simon Mannering (301).
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Sunday’s game against Manly will be Todd Payten’s last game in charge of the Warriors.
Warriors CEO Cameron George paid tribute to Blair before his final appearance at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford on Sunday.
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“Adam has made an incredible contribution not only to the Warriors but to rugby league across the board,” George said.
“He has had a great influence on our players, especially the younger ones, with the way he has looked after himself. He sets extremely high standards off the field and in the way he prepares for every training session and every game.
Cameron Spencer / Getty Images
Warriors forward Adam Blair has played 330 games in 15 seasons in the NRL.
“It would have been an incredibly difficult decision for Adam knowing that he had the option to keep playing for another year, but in the end Jess and the kids came first.”
Blair joined the Warriors from the Broncos in 2018 after previous stints with the Tigers and Storm.
Last year he became the second Kiwi behind Wiki to play 50 Trials.
George said Blair would remain involved with the club off the field, “adapted to his strengths.”
