Rhys Wesser to retire after season 2011

South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback Rhys Wesser has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2011 season.

Wesser, a veteran of 14 seasons in the National Rugby League, has played 218 NRL games to date including 177 matches for the Penrith Panthers between 1998 and 2008, and 41 games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs since moving to the Club in 2009.

Wesser has achieved some of the highest honours in the sport playing four State of Origin matches for Queensland in 2004 and 2006; won an NRL premiership with the Panthers in 2003; and represented the Indigenous Dreamtime team in 2008 at the Rugby League World Cup.

Wesser has been regarded as one of the most lethal attacking weapons in the game of Rugby League over the past 14 seasons scoring an incredible 129 tries to date. Rhys holds the record for most tries scored for Penrith with 113 as well as holding three of the top four season try scoring records at the Panthers with 25 tries in 2003 and 19 tries in both 2002 and 2006.

Wesser was also selected as fullback in the Panthers Team of Legends announced in 2006, named alongside players such as Brad Fittler, Greg Alexander, Royce Simmons, John Cartwright and Mark Geyer.

Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson paid tribute to Rhys.