Bulldogs winger announces NRL retirement

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Canterbury flyer Marcelo Montoya is to retire from the NRL at season's end. -AAP Image

Canterbury winger Marcelo Montoya will retire from the NRL at the end of this season.

Fiji international Montoya, who is in the last year of his contract, has played 162 NRL games to date, 80 of those across two separate stints with the Bulldogs.

The 30-year-old returned to his junior club in 2025 after four years with the Warriors but has had an inconsistent season at the 12th-placed Bulldogs.

"I started my career here so it feels right to also finish it as a Bulldog," Montoya said in a statement.

"While I'm excited for the next chapter, I'm 100 per cent focused on finishing this season off strongly and hopefully doing something special with my brothers."

Bankstown Bulls junior Montoya began his NRL career with the Bulldogs in 2017, scoring a try on debut in a win over the Warriors.

He finished the 2017 season as the Bulldogs' rookie of the year.

Among the highlights of his career, Montoya played every game of the Warriors' 2023 season as the club reached its first preliminary final in 12 years.

He also made nine international appearances for Fiji and played in the country's biggest-ever win - a 72-6 thrashing of Wales at the 2017 World Cup.

An ankle injury denied Montoya the chance to play in the Bulldogs' 2025 finals campaign.

But he was a mainstay on the wing that season as the club sealed a first top-four finish since 2012.

Montoya has made only eight NRL appearances this year, and only one since being dropped following a tough performance against Brisbane in round eight.

Enari Tuala and Jacob Kiraz will line up on the wings against Manly this weekend, with Jonathan Sua and Jethro Rinakama also preferenced over Montoya in recent weeks.