South Sydney and former Queensland State of Origin enforcer Jai Arrow will retire from the NRL immediately after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Souths chief executive Blake Solly revealed the devastating diagnosis on Wednesday.

Arrow remained silent during Souths’ press conference while he sat alongside Solly as he delivered the harrowing news. 

Only 30 years old, Arrow has played 98 games for the Rabbitohs since Wayne Bennett lured the classy forward to the club in 2021 after handing the then-25-year-old his first-grade debut at Brisbane a decade ago.

Arrow proposed to his fiancée Berina Colakovic during a romantic post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024.

That December, the loved-up couple took to Instagram to reveal they were expecting their first child together.

Souths star Jai Arrow (pictured with partner Berina Colakovic) has retired effective immediately after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease

The 30-year-old star remained silent in the press conference as club CEO Blake Solly delivered the harrowing news

Arrow and his partner are parents to daughter Ayla Rae, who was born in April last year

Their daughter Ayla Rae was born in April 2025. 

Arrow also had four seasons at Gold Coast following his two-season stint at the Broncos and played 12 games for Queensland between 2018 and 2023.

He helped the Maroons win series in 2020, 2022 and 2023 while also playing in the Rabbitohs’ 2021 grand final loss to Penrith.

Arrow’s diagnosis comes two and a half years after former Maroons hardman Carl Webb died of MND aged 42.

The rugby league world was also rocked when Western Suburbs, Balmain and North Sydney great Scott Gale died of the debilitating condition at just 39 in 2004.

More to come…