Warriors playmaker set to announce shock retirement at 27

New Zealand Warriors playmaker Ash Taylor is reportedly set to announce his retirement from the NRL.

The Daily Telegraph reports that Taylor's long-term hip injury has forced him to step away from the sport at age 27.

The Queenslander made one appearance for the Warriors this season, a 20-18 loss to the Gold Coast Titans in round two. According to the Telegraph report, that will be his last game in the NRL.

Speaking to Fox League on Saturday afternoon, Warriors coach Nathan Brown all but confirmed the report to be accurate.

"He's definitely been struggling with his hips, he's been through a number of meetings in the past few weeks," Brown said.

"He's probably found out a touch quicker than anyone would have expected but that's what it looks like it's going to be, unfortunately."

Wests Tigers legend Benji Marshall said on the show: "It's a sad way to have to end, not on your terms. Congratulations to Ash, it will be a tough way to retire, but he represented himself well."

Taylor scored 18 tries in 116 NRL games after making his first grade debut for the Brisbane Broncos in 2015.

He was named Dally M Rookie of the Year in 2016, beating the likes of Latrell Mitchell and Nathan Cleary.

In 2018, the Titans offered Taylor a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $1 million a season, making his one of the highest-paid players in the NRL.

But after an underwhelming six-year stint on the Gold Coast, the Titans did not offer Taylor a new deal at the end of 2021.

The Warriors handed him a $1000 per week train-and-trial deal ahead of the 2022 season, but the halfback only made one appearance before his hip injury kept him sidelined.

"Congratulations to Ash on his career," former Storm halfback Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.

"He hit the NRL scene with a bang — 46 games, 45 try assists. He did the flashy things really well. It fell off the back at the end but congratulations to Ash Taylor."

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission