NRL star Jai Arrow has spoken for the first time since receiving the harrowing news that he has motor neurone disease, revealing that the incurable condition is already affecting his ability to talk. The 30-year-old South Sydney forward's plight was disclosed at a press conference on Wednesday, where Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly spoke on his behalf.
Arrow has retired from the game effective immediately to concentrate on fighting the disease and spending time with his fiancée Berina Colakovic and their one-year-old daughter Ayla Rae. On Wednesday night, he shared how he finds inspiration in his little girl and how he first reacted to the devastating diagnosis, with the change in his speech painfully obvious to viewers.
'She's at a really good age now and I am able to watch her grow into her own person,' he said on 9News Sydney. 'She has got a really funny personality and she's my greatest strength.'
Asked about his first reaction to the diagnosis, he said, 'I laughed.' 'Not that I laughed, but my first question was 'all right, where do I go now?' [It has] progressed from November until now,' Arrow revealed. 'Speech is one of those things [that is different].'
The former Queensland State of Origin star remained defiant when asked about what the future holds. 'To fight,' he said. 'I wanted to do this to let people know I am OK and I am ready to fight. I do really have a lot. Nothing is gonna take me out easy. I wanna do everything I can – any trial, any medication that will maintain me for as long as I can. I want to inspire other people who have been diagnosed.'
Prior to the interview, Arrow's diagnosis and retirement were confirmed via a statement read by Solly. 'After extensive medical testing and consultations regarding ongoing symptoms, I've recently received a diagnosis relating to a nerve and neurological condition,' Solly said on Arrow's behalf. 'Further tests, specialist reviews and medical processes are still ongoing, and my doctors are continuing to assess my condition. Over recent months, my symptoms have affected different parts of my everyday life. On medical advice, I'm currently not medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I'll be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health treatment and rehabilitation. What I need right now isn't sympathy or sadness. What I need is support, understanding, and privacy while my family and I navigate this difficult time.'
Souths coach Wayne Bennett praised Arrow, a player he has known for nearly a decade, and brought some levity to the press conference. 'If you look at his football ability, he's not what you'd call a natural,' Bennett joked. Arrow proposed to Colakovic during a romantic post-season holiday in Italy in October 2024. In December 2024, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Their daughter Ayla Rae was born in April 2025, and they recently celebrated her first birthday.
The tough forward is highly respected in NRL circles, winning the George Piggins Medal in 2025 as the Rabbitohs' player of the year. He also won the Bob McCarthy Club Person of the Year award in 2025, the Souths Cares Award for outstanding community contributions, and The Burrow Appreciation Award in 2024. Arrow was a finalist for the NRL's Ken Stephen Medal in 2025 for his work with Souths Cares, Whatability, and Vinnies Vans.
Arrow spent four seasons at Gold Coast after a 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, and played in the Rabbitohs' 2021 grand final loss to Penrith. His diagnosis comes two and a half years after former Maroons hardman Carl Webb died of MND aged 42. The rugby league world was also shocked when Western Suburbs, Balmain, and North Sydney great Scott Gale died of the condition at 39 in 2004.
Motor neurone disease is a rare condition that mainly affects people in their 60s and 70s, but it can affect adults of all ages. It is caused by a problem with cells in the brain and nerves called motor neurones, which gradually stop working over time. The reason for this is unknown. Motor neurones control the muscles responsible for movement, speech, and breathing.
