Fans and officials are paying tribute to Rhyse Martin after the NRL and Super League player announced his retirement. The 33-year-old will hang up the boots at the end of Hull KR’s Super League season to become football operations manager of the PNG Chiefs.
The Queenslander started his professional career at the Bulldogs in 2010, but had to wait until 2018 to make his NRL debut. The second-rower played 25 games for Canterbury across 2018 to 2019, before embarking on a successful career in England.
Rhyse Martin started his career at the Bulldogs (L) and won a Super League premiership with Hull KR (R). Image: Getty
He played 132 games for Leeds Rhinos from 2019 to 2024, before signing with Hull KR in 2025. He was part of Willie Peters’ all-conquering Hull side that won ‘the treble’ in 2025 – lifting the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Super League Trophy.
He then helped Hull beat the Brisbane Broncos to win the World Club Challenge earlier this year. Martin will go down as one of rugby league’s great goal-kicking forwards, and holds the world record for the most consecutive goals kicked with 41 straight.
Rhyse Martin will retire at the end of the Super League season to work with the PNG Chiefs.
(George Wood)
He will reunite with Peters at the PNG Chiefs in 2027, before they enter the NRL competition in 2028. Peters has been appointed as the Chiefs’ inaugural coach.
Martin is one of PNG’s most respected players, featuring in 17 Test matches for the Kumuls for seven tries and 58 goals. Chiefs General Manager of Football Michael Chammas said the appointment of Martin was part of the club’s plan to “build a football program grounded in Papua New Guinean identity”.
Chammas said in a statement: “Anyone who has ever met Rhyse will talk about the quality of person he is and how passionate he is about Papua New Guinea. The combination of those two things makes him such an important off-field signing for the club and we are proud to have him joining our football staff. Rhyse has had an incredible career as a player but he still has so much to offer the sport.”
NRL world pays tribute to Rhyse Martin
Reflecting on his career, Martin said: “Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of playing professional rugby league and for it to be my life. I am so lucky and grateful that I have been able to have the career I’ve had.
“I walk away at the end of the season knowing that I have given everything for each club I’ve had the honour of representing and hope that I have left the jersey in a better place.
“I look forward to finishing the year strong for Hull KR and giving everything to the team. With it being a World Cup in 2026, it feels like the right time to hang up my boots representing my country at the end of the year. Thank you, Rugby League.”
Tributes and congratulations have been flooding in for Martin’s wonderful career.