LEAGUE ONE ROUND-UP
DONCASTER forward Jordie Hedges says he had little option but to put his health first and retire from Rugby League.
The 26-year-old last week announced that he would have to call it a day, having struggled for the past two years with serious knee problems after first suffering an ACL injury in 2019.
After six years, 85 appearances and 20 tries for the Dons -plus a Player of the Year award in 2019 -Hedges received the advice that he should retire from the game.
“At the end of last year my knee was a little sore,” he said.
“I saw a couple of surgeons, one that did my knee the year before and one I hadn't seen before, and I've taken advice from both surgeons to retire.
“It's not the way I wanted it to end; I didn't get to end on my terms. I'm still 26 years old, which is not old at all.
“It's a very tough decision but I had to put my family and myself -my own health -first.”
Doncaster owner Carl Hall paid tribute to Hedges and said the club will do all they can to support him moving forward.
“Jordie has been through a really tough time through injuries and, having been at the club for six years now, we are sad to see him go,” said Hall.
“He has a young family to think of now and, despite it being a difficult decision to retire, he has to think of them and what is best moving forward.