Yesterday Andrew Fifita called time on a brilliant career.
A Tongan and Australia international, a star of the Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks, he won the World Cup and the NRL, even scoring the winning try in the 2016 Grand Final against Melbourne Storm.
His decision left question marks over his twin brother David’s future who left Wakefield at the end of 2022.
It was expected that the two would play one last season together in 2023 but Andrew’s decision to call time on his career has left David’s future unclear.
However, it sounds like it was inevitable that Andrew would need to retire as he outlines the number of surgeries he requires now at the end of his career.
According to Fox League, the prop needs his left ankle surgically straightened, his right shoulder reconstructed, a nose reconstruction due to the fact his nose is collapsing.
Meanwhile, he needs his middle finger fused, a right elbow arthroscopy as well as dental surgery and teeth implants.
The nastiest of these is perhaps the ankle surgery he will undertake where the surgeon will cut the bone and tissue to realign the bones.
So, it is not a surprise that Fifita has had to make the decision to retire. But what does this mean for twin brother David.
He definitely won’t be in Super League in 2023, so it’s a vase of whether he will get an NRL club or choose to play for a feeder team like the likes of Tyrone Roberts and James Segeyaro have recentlty.