Shock as 23-year-old star reveals plan to walk away from the NRL

Warriors star Chanel Harris-Tavita has revealed he will take a break from rugby league after finishing off the 2022 season.

Warriors playmaker Chanel Harris-Tavita. NRL Imagery

Warriors star Chanel Harris-Tavita is planning to walk away from the NRL at the end of the year.

The 23-year-old told AAP he will be taking a break from rugby league after just 44 first grade games, revealing he has lost his love for the sport.

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“I want to take a break from rugby league,” Harris-Tavita told AAP. “I’ve made the decision in the last couple of weeks.

“Over the last year I haven’t been enjoying it as much as I want to, even though being an NRL player was something I dreamed of as a kid.”

Harris-Tavita said it will soon be “time for a change of scenery” and knew in his gut he was making the right move to take time off after his contract expires at the end of the season.

“Deep down, I knew I didn’t want to sign another contract and I was trying to hide that feeling from everyone including myself,” he said.

“I just think it’s the best decision for me. Each time I told a family member or friend, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

Chanel Harris-Tavita is ready for a break. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The talented playmaker was in the wars earlier this season, playing more than 45 minutes with a ruptured testicle last month during the Warriors’ 70-10 loss to Melbourne.

The gruesome injury occurred when fellow teammate Josh Curran’s knee slammed into Harris-Tavita’s groin as they combined to stop Melbourne fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen scoring in the final minutes of the first half.

Long-time physiotherapist and NRL injury analyst Brien Seeney described Harris-Tavita’s effort to play through the injury as “the toughest effort of 2022” and expected the Warriors star to have been in considerable pain.

After almost two minutes being attended to on the Warriors’ goal-line, Harris-Tavita re-joined his team’s defensive line and went on to play the full 80 minutes while never missing a tackle in what was a record loss for the New Zealand club.