Monaghan confirms retirement at end of season

WARRINGTON Wolves’ Hooker Michael Monaghan has announced his retirement from the game at the end of the current season.
The 34-year-old Australian made his Warrington debut back in 2008 earning heritage number 1081. Since then he has gone on to make 182 appearances in the Primrose and Blue, taking on joint ownership of the captain’s armband in this his final season.
He’s crossed the try line on 33 occasions while adding four drop-goals to his current points total of 136.
Monaghan joined the club from Manly Sea Eagles to take on the halfback role but has since adopted the hooker position alongside Micky Higham and rising star Brad Dwyer.
He was part of the Challenge Cup winning sides of 2009, 2010 and 2012, lifting the Lance Todd Trophy in 2009 for his man of the match performance. He also stepped out at Old Trafford in the team’s recent Grand Final appearances of 2012 and 2013.
Michael, who said at the start of the season that this would probably be his last said: “It’s been a privilege playing here for seven years; winning Challenge Cups and playing in Grand Finals. It’s all gone better than I could have hoped for or expected. I’ve enjoyed my time here and the atmosphere created by the fans over the years has been great. I’m retiring from playing at the end of the season but I am looking forward to moving on in the game, hopefully into a coaching role whether that’s here or elsewhere. With Joel still at Warrington and me being engaged to an English girl I’m obviously keen to stay over here for a while.
“A massive thank you to everyone who has made my time at the club so enjoyable and I look forward to hopefully ending my time here on a high.”
Head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith added: “We will thank Michael for his efforts he’s put into the club at the appropriate time because we know he’s got, and we’ve got, some unfinished business in terms of the rest of the season to go. I would like to say I admire his decision to retire at the top of his game and he is in that sort of form. He’s certainly not going to be one of those players who is going to play a year too long and I admire that decision by him. He’s played some of his best Rugby League here.
“He’s certainly been a great asset to the club for a number of years and in all the years I’ve been here, on the field but also in his knowledge of the game. He is going to be a huge attribute to whichever coaching staff he ends up
working for as he’s got a great ability to read the game but also to convey his thoughts of the game. I’m sure he is going to have a very good career after retirement in Rugby League.”
Monaghan’s younger brother Joel, has another two years left on his contract.