NRL 2020: Maroons star Gavin Cooper announces his retirement
Cowboys veteran and Maroons champion Gavin Cooper has officially called time on his stellar NRL career, hanging up the boots after 321 games across three different clubs.
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NORTH Queensland veteran Gavin Cooper has called time on his 15-year NRL career to retire at the end of the 2020 season.
The 321-game great will play the final two rounds in Cowboys colours, fittingly the same club he debuted for back in 2006.
The Murgon Mustangs junior has played 245 games for North Queensland, with stints at the Titans and Panthers.
His glittering career also included six Origin appearances and was also a member of the 2017 NRL All Stars squad.
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The 35-year-old premiership winner also holds the club record for most tries by a forward with 72 but it was the 2015 Grand Final that Cooper said was an obvious highlight of his career.
“I’ve enjoyed a lot of success here at the Cowboys and I had the chance to leave a couple of times, but I always felt a strong connection to the club and community and North Queensland was where I wanted to raise my young family,” Cooper said.
“The 2015 grand final is the memory which sticks out for obvious reasons, but there were a number of other periods during my time at the club I look back on really fondly.
“The run through to the 2017 grand final and to see some of the young kids we had in our squad that year grow up really quickly was very special.
“My 300th game down in Gosford when Jake Clifford stepped up and kicked a field goal for us to win against the Roosters and all the golden point games against the Broncos are other memories which stick out.
“There’s a long list of people I’d like to thank for their contributions to my career, but I don’t want to single anyone out right now, that is something I would like to do in person down the track.
“I would like to thank the Cowboys as well as all the club’s members, fans and partners for their support during my time at the club. I’ve enjoyed every second of my time as a Cowboy.
“I’ve got two more opportunities to wear Cowboys colours and I’m going to give it my all like I always have with that jersey on and hopefully finish on a high.”
Cowboys football director Peter Parr said there hadn’t been a player who cared more for the club than Cooper.
“He’s one of the great contributors this club has ever had,” Parr said.
“To play the amount of games he has and the amount of time he has spent on the field is significant for me – he’s a guy that has played 80 minutes almost every game of his career, which I think has been understated.
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“His on-field record speaks for itself, but what I think of when I reflect on Gavin Cooper’s career at the Cowboys is what he did away from the paddock. How consistent he was with his training and preparation and his care for his teammates and the club.
“There hasn’t been a player who has cared more for this club or been more selfless for this club than Gavin Cooper. He did whatever he could to make this club successful both on and off the field and for that reason all of us who have been privileged enough to have had something to do with his career, we will look back on it as one of the great Cowboys careers.”