LEWIS BROWN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

January 16, 2019 / Will Evans

LEWIS BROWN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

January 16, 2019 / Will Evans

Riccarton Knights junior and former Canterbury Bulls representative Lewis Brown has announced his retirement after a decade-long career in the NRL.

The 32-year-old utility played 198 first-grade games for the Warriors, Penrith and Manly since making a belated debut in 2009, scoring 34 tries. Brown played 15 Tests for the Kiwis from 2011-16.

“Today I have decided to walk away from my dream and retire,” Brown’s Instragram post read.

“I achieved more then I set out to do and have created memories and friendships that will never be forgotten or broken.

“I want to thank the game, all my teammates, fans and teams but most of all I want to thank family especially my Mum and Pop. They sacrificed so much to make sure I achieved what so many people said I would never be able to do.

“I will always love the game but you know when it is time to walk away. I look forward to all the new challenges I face in life.

“Playing professional footy has proved to me that if you work hard enough anything in life is possible. To the young kids living their dream in the NRL make the most of it because it goes fast. Thanks rugby league.”

 

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Ever since I was a little boy all i dreamt about was playing for the @nzrugbyleague and @nrl – Today I have decided to walk away from my dream and retire. I achieved more then I set out to do and have created memories and friendships that will never be forgotten or broken. I want to thank the game, all my teammates, fans and teams @nzrugbyleague @nzwarriors @penrithpanthers @manlyseaeagles but most of all I want to thank family especially my Mum and Pop. They sacrificed so much to make sure I achieved what so many people said I would never be able to do. I will always love the game but you know when it is time to walk away. I look forward to all the new challenges I face in life @earlscollection . Playing professional footy has proved to me that if you work hard enough any thing in life is possible. To the young kids living their dream in the NRL make the most of it cause it goes fast. Thanks rugby league ❤️?

A post shared by LEWIBROWN (@lewi_brown) on

Brown won a grand final with Riccarton in 2004 and turned out for Canterbury Bulls in the 2005 Bartercard Cup while still a teenager, before heading to Sydney and embarking on lower-grade stints with Griffith, Sydney Roosters and Balmain-Ryde.

A shift to the Warriors provided Brown with his breakthrough, earning his NRL spurs at the age of 22 and playing 84 games across four seasons. A valuable contributor at second-row, centre and dummy-half, Brown’s tenure at the Warriors is best remembered for scoring the match-sealing try in the 2011 preliminary final upset of Melbourne, sending the club into its second grand final.

Brown followed former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary to the Panthers in 2013, playing 66 games in three seasons, and made 48 appearances for the Sea Eagles after linking with the club in 2016. He played in finals campaigns for both sides.

The highlight of Brown’s international career was arguably his starring role off the bench in New Zealand’s 2014 Four Nations triumph.

Brown found first-grade appearances hard to come by in 2018, called upon just twice by Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett to leave him just two games short of becoming only the third Canterbury product – after David Kidwell and Jeremy Smith – to break the 200-game barrier in the NRL.

He will now focus on breaking into the fashion world courtesy of his clothing brand Earls Collection.

Photo Credit: CMG Sports

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