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Steve Price, the National Rugby League's (NRL) longest-serving current player, has some future career options to ponder as his playing career draws to a close.
The New Zealand Warriors prop today announced he will retire at the end of this season, ending a first-grade career which began in 1994.
The 36-year-old said he might consider management or working in the media after he pulled his boots off for the last time.
Price joined the Warriors in 2005 after a decade with the Canterbury Bulldogs in Sydney, played 15 tests for Australia and 28 State of Origin matches for Queensland.
He captained the Warriors until the end of last season when Simon Mannering took over the role.
Last year, he became just the 11th player to log 300 first-grade matches, and his career tally now stands at 313, including 222 for the Bulldogs and 91 for the Warriors.
He told journalists at a press conference at Mt Smart Stadium that it was the right time to retire for him and his family.
"I've had great times at the Bulldogs where I started and the Warriors, as well as playing for Queensland and Australia.
"My love for rugby league started at nine years old, and it's hard to think that it's coming to an end, but I've been very lucky and privileged to have a career as long as I've had," he said.
Price has yet to make an NRL appearance this season due to injuries, the latest a heel problem.
"It's still not over yet. I'm battling to get back on the field as soon as I can and try and finish my career at the Warriors as best I possibly can," he said.
Price said he would be keen on management after retirement, but it would depend on what opportunities arose.
"I enjoy working with the media, and I like to have an opinion on lots of other sports, including netball and basketball. So whether that's on radio or television, I'm not sure, but it probably wouldn't be print media as I'm not that good at reading or writing," he joked.
As Price made his announcement, his only two NRL clubs also confirmed major plans to jointly celebrate his career.
This would start this week when the Bulldogs host the Warriors on Saturday night in Sydney, and Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah announced his club would honour Price later in the season at Mt Smart Stadium.
While Price is not expected to be fit to play this week, Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said his the club would honour him in various ways on Saturday. Together with wife Jo and their children, Price will be flown to Sydney by the Warriors with the Bulldogs hosting them on game day.
Greenberg said the Bulldogs had agreed to provide free entry to the game for NRL club members/season ticketholders.
A tribute highlights DVD package will be screened before the NRL match, drawing on material covering Price's performances for the Bulldogs, the Warriors, the Kangaroos and Queensland.
Together with his family, Price will also be taken on a pre-match lap of honour around ANZ Stadium. After the match, the Bulldogs will make a special presentation on the field to Price.
Scurrah said the Warriors' last scheduled home game of the season against Brisbane in late August had already been planned as an old boys' day and would now also include a special farewell to Price.
"Steve has been captain of the Warriors for a third of the club's history. He was really the central figure in uniting the fans, the sponsors and the players when we had financial problems, and he's helped us get to the top four for two of the last three seasons," Scurrah said.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary said Price had distinguished himself as one of the game's great front rowers over a lengthy career.
"He will leave a big hole that will be really hard to fill. The contribution he's made to the club could never be under-stated," Cleary said.