{"id":59479,"date":"2025-08-11T07:42:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/59479\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T07:42:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T07:42:19","slug":"nrl-icon-ray-warren-admits-to-struggles-with-retirement-like-cutting-off-my-left-arm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/59479\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL icon Ray Warren admits to struggles with retirement: \u2018Like cutting off my left arm\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rugby league<\/a> commentary icon Ray Warren has revealed he is still coming to terms with retirement after four years out of the game.<\/p>\n

The 82-year-old, widely regarded as the voice of the sport in Australia, called time on his 55-year career in 2021 after 99 State of Origins and 45 NRL<\/a> grand finals.<\/p>\n

Since his departure, Warren has resisted several calls to come out of retirement, including a big push to have him come back for a one-off Origin match last year.<\/p>\n

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Despite that, the man known as \u2018Rabs\u2019 said on Monday he is yet to find peace with being on the sidelines.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not handling that (retirement) all that well to be honest with you, because leaving what I was doing was like cutting off my left arm,\u201d he told 2GB.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a playground; I don\u2019t think I ever went to work. I went to play, but I don\u2019t think I ever got Mondayitis.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s gone now. I was 78 when I gave it away, so I didn\u2019t have much longer to go anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

Warren says people do still come up to him in the street to tell him they miss his voice, and that he has toyed with the idea of a return if he were able to call from home.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah, and it\u2019s flattering and I guess I love it deep down, but I don\u2019t think they realised I was 78 when I gave it away, and I didn\u2019t want to undo all the good I might have done,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the long and the short of it. But now I sit down in the lounge room and think I might be able to do a call from home.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it was a fabulous time in life for me \u2014 it went 55 years! It was a great five and a half decades.\u201d<\/p>\n

Games being called remotely has become more prominent with some broadcasters since the COVID-19 pandemic, given its necessity at that time. Seven remains in-stadium, though, for every game it covers across all flagship sports.<\/p>\n

Asked how his health was generally, Warren said: \u201cI\u2019ve been OK, I mean, if I start telling you of the illnesses I\u2019ve got, we\u2019d be here for a couple of days. But no, I\u2019m going OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

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