This Sunday night marks the end of an extraordinary era in rugby league as Kieran Foran plays his final professional match before immediately transitioning into coaching with the Manly Sea Eagles.
A Career Forged Through Adversity
One of the sport's most remarkable survivors, Foran will make his 351st and final appearance in New Zealand's Pacific Cup final against Samoa. The 35-year-old's career path has been anything but straightforward, with the past decade filled with significant challenges that threatened to end his playing days prematurely.
Foran has endured a horror run of injuries, personal issues and even faced potential medical retirement in 2020. Rather than having his career terminated by medical professionals, the determined athlete has chosen to finish on his own terms while representing his country in an international final.
'I actually thought about that this week,' Foran revealed. 'The reason I've been hanging on to my footy career for as long as I have was the dream of hopefully winning another premiership. But this - playing for the Kiwis - is the next best thing.'
From Near-Retirement to Historic Achievement
Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of Foran's journey is that he retires with the longest Test career in history for any Kiwi or Kangaroo player, spanning an incredible 16 years. This milestone seemed unlikely during what he describes as the 'middle part' of his career when everything appeared to be falling apart.
'There was that middle part of my career where it just felt like it was all going so wrong for me,' Foran confessed. 'I just wanted so badly as a kid to be a great player and get everything out of myself. And it felt like for a period of time there that I was just never going to get the opportunity to do that. No matter what I did, my body wasn't responding.'
The veteran player reflects that his career could have concluded 'so many times' through injuries, setbacks, adversity and dips in form. He now views his international final appearance as a 'reward for having hung in there for so long' and an example of pushing through difficult times to reach the 'sunshine at the end.'
Immediate Transition to Coaching Role
Unlike many retiring athletes who take extended breaks, Foran will begin his new life as an assistant coach with Manly Sea Eagles just 15 hours after his final match. He'll report to Brookvale Oval first thing Monday morning to work under head coach Anthony Seibold.
'I don't need a break,' Foran stated emphatically. 'I've devoted my whole life to rugby league, and I don't want it to be any different once I retire. Seibs offered one, but I'm pretty keen to just hit the ground running at Manly.'
Foran's connection to Manly runs deep, having made his first-grade debut with the Sea Eagles in 2009 and winning an NRL premiership with them just two years later. His immediate transition to coaching demonstrates his unwavering commitment to the sport that has defined his life.
While the desire to end his playing career with a trophy remains strong, there will be no grand celebration party on Sunday night. Instead, the ultimate competitor will quietly shift focus to mentoring the next generation of rugby league stars, bringing with him the invaluable wisdom gained from one of the game's most resilient careers.
