Warriors playmaker Ash Taylor‘s NRL career has been tragically cut short after he was forced to retire due to persistent hip issues.
The 27-year-old has managed just one game this season, and his coach, Nathan Brown, confirmed that the former Titans star would be retiring after just 116 career games.
“He’s definitely been struggling with his hip, he’s been through a number of meetings over that past few weeks… that’s (retirement) what it looks like it’s going to be unfortunately for Ash,” Brown told Fox League prior to his side’s clash against the Canberra Raiders.
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Taylor has battled hip issues for the past few years and had a pair of operations in 2020 in the hope of reviving his career.
The talented playmaker made his NRL debut back in 2015 for the Brisbane Broncos, but would make his name at the team’s Queensland rivals, the Gold Coast Titans.
Taylor joined the Titans in 2016 and was named the Dally M rookie of the year after scoring five tries in 22 appearances.
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However, he would eventually be haunted by the lavish $1 million per year deal given to him by the Titans as he struggled to live up to his hefty price tag in the seasons that followed.
Following the expiration of his deal with the Titans, Taylor struggled to find a new home before signing a $1000-per-week non-guaranteed training contract with the Warriors.