Fittler to Retire at Seasons End

Roosters captain Brad Fittler has just announced in the post-match press conference that he will retire at the end of the 2004 NRL season.

The 32-year-old achieved everything rugby league has to offer, having played 34 Tests for Australia, many as captain, 27 State of Origin games for NSW and five grand finals.

He was a member of Penrith's maiden premiership-winning team in 1991 and captained the Roosters to their first title in 27 years in 2002.

Fittler has been instrumental in guiding the Roosters to three of the past four NRL grand finals.

Fittler said he made the announcement early in the season to end growing speculation about his playing future.

He said he didn't want to lie about it.

Fittler's focus now will be ending his brilliant career with a second premiership with the Roosters, for whom he has played 213 first-grade matches since joining the club from the Panthers at the end of 1995.

"I'll definitely be around the club," he said after captaining the Roosters to a 28-8 victory over Canberra at Aussie Stadium.

"I'll stay with the club next year and we've got a long way to go this year, so I've sort of put all my eggs in basket now.

"The best present will be a premiership."

Roosters coach Ricky Stuart described Fittler as one of the greatest players in history.

"He sets himself a high level and Brad wants to leave the game a winner," Stuart said.

"And there's only a handful of great players who have the opportunity to leave the game when they want to and on a pedestal, and Brad will go down as one of the greatest players ever."