2020 will be Chris Lawrence's last season in the NRL after the Wests Tigers' fan-favourite announced his retirement.
Lawrence will hang up the boots as one of three players to play 250 games for the Tigers while he currently shares the all-time record with Benji Marshall for points scored for the club, having notched 84 tries.
Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe honoured Lawrence's passion and dedication to the Tigers jersey in a career that's spanned over 15 seasons.
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“Chris is a truly remarkable player in the history of Wests Tigers and I have felt privileged to watch him play his career at this club,” Pascoe said.
“He has always carried himself with the utmost professionalism and class on and off the field, and is a true model for every single person in the game of rugby league.
“Chris has played an exceptional role in setting the standards for what we want Wests Tigers to be known for as a club, and I cannot thank him and his family enough for his contribution.”
After 15 years living out a childhood dream it is time to say goodbye to the game I love, 2020 will be my final season.
— Chris Lawrence (@chrislawrence04) August 18, 2020
I’ve got plenty of people to thank, but for now the focus is on doing whatever I can to perform my role for the team until that final whistle blows. pic.twitter.com/6yhHfSBA9k
Tigers coach Michael Maguire said Lawrence's career represented what future generations of players at the club will aspire to.
“There’s a lot that I admire about Chris, from his toughness to his character on and off the field,” Maguire said.
“In doing so, Chris has set the standard for what local juniors of Wests Tigers should aspire to be.
“To have played the entirety of his 15-year career with Wests Tigers, Chris has shown tremendous determination and drive in all that he does, and I am sure the future generations of this great club will always look up to that.”
An Eagle Vale St. Andrews junior, Lawrence became the youngest player in Tigers history to make his NRL debut, playing a part in the club's win over the Broncos in 2006 at the age of 17 years and 283 days.
He would earn representative honours the year after, selected in the squad for the Prime Minister's tour of Papua New Guinea in 2007, before making his Kangaroos debut in the 2010 Four Nations, scoring a try in his first match against New Zealand. Lawrence went on to play six Test for Australia, scoring four tries in total.
He was honoured for his service to the club with life membership in 2017, and reached the 250-game milestone for the club earlier this year alongside Marshall – with only Robbie Farah (277) ahead of the pair in the games played for the club.
More to come
