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Jai Arrow bids emotional farewell with 100th Rabbitohs appearance

Jai Arrow made an emotional 100th NRL appearance for South Sydney Rabbitohs, marking his farewell after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. The 31-year-old retired in May and was granted special dispensation to play two more games.

  • Arrow made his 100th appearance for the Rabbitohs against Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
  • He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease earlier this year and announced his retirement in May.
  • Arrow had 178 NRL appearances overall and played 12 times for Queensland in State of Origin.

Jai Arrow made an emotional 100th NRL appearance for the South Sydney Rabbitohs to mark his farewell from the sport at Allianz Stadium.

The 31-year-old forward was diagnosed with motor neurone disease earlier this year and announced his retirement in May. Special dispensation from the NRL and the Rabbitohs allowed him to take the field for the opening kick-off twice more, with the game against Sydney Roosters bringing up a century of appearances for the club.

Arrow walked his team out to 'Stand By Me' before 'You'll Never Walk Alone' rang around the stadium. He fought back tears as the crowd stood in applause, many holding banners of support.

Before kick-off, Arrow waved to the crowd, was embraced by team-mates and then substituted off, with the Rabbitohs allowed an extra player and rotation. Head coach Wayne Bennett opened his arms to Arrow, who was overcome with emotion and shared an embrace with his wife, Berina Colakovic.

Why this matters: Arrow's farewell highlights the impact of motor neurone disease on a professional athlete and the rugby league community's support.

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