The Melbourne Storm will bid farewell to Bryan Norrie with the veteran prop announcing his immediate retirement from the game.
Norrie was forced make a final call on his playing career after receiving medical advice over the last few weeks as a result of a neck injury.
The 30-year-old retires after 180 NRL games with the Dragons, Panthers, Sharks and Storm.
He played 120 of those games in the purple jersey, including a 2012 premiership win.
It is a stellar career for a man whose career appeared over after being released by the Sharks at the end of the 2009 season. That summer Norrie was preparing to take on a captain-coaching role with the Wagga Wagga Kangaroos before a phone call from Craig Bellamy turned his career around.
It is the conversation Norrie remains grateful for to this day.
"I can't thank Frank Ponissi and Craig Bellamy enough, particularly 'Bellyache' for giving me the opportunity to continue my career in 2010 and getting my confidence back to play quality first grade football," said Norrie.
"I've been able to play in a premiership at Melbourne Storm and make life-long friends which I am extremely grateful for."
Norrie played 24 games for the Storm in 2014, ranking third at the club for total hit-ups.
Despite his career being forced into a premature end dur to injury, Norrie's durability has been staggering for such a forceful player.
The front-rower missed only six games since making his debut for Melbourne in 2010.
It was the track record that earned him an obvious nickname at the club.
"Noz has been such a great player, our Mr Reliable, and one of those guys you know exactly what you're going to get from him on the field. He has always played well above his weight," said Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
"He is a really good leader, well liked and respected. He doesn't say much and instead leads with his actions and that's the best kind of leader."
"It's disappointing 'Noz' has had to retire suddenly due to a neck injury, however he's made the decision in the best interest of his family and the club supports him 100 per cent."
It will be another significant change to the Storm playing list that will already bid farewell to Ryan Hoffman and leading try-scorer Sisa Waqa.
The club will likely turn to 23-year-old Jordan McLean as the man to step into Norrie's position, after the promising prop started several games this season in place of his veteran teammate.
As with what Norrie will do post-football, he may well replace the football for power tools after gaining his qualification as an electrician as apart of the NRL's "Trade up with the NRL" program.
