A Fitting Farewell for a Rugby League Warrior
In a heartwarming conclusion to an illustrious career, New Zealand rugby league great Kieran Foran was given the perfect send-off after his team secured a dramatic 36-14 comeback victory against Samoa in Sunday's Pacific Cup final. The 35-year-old veteran, playing his last professional match, watched as his Kiwi teammates performed an emotional haka in his honour within the changing rooms of CommBank Stadium.
From Deficit to Glory: The Kiwis' Stunning Comeback
The match itself provided a rollercoaster of emotions, with New Zealand finding themselves 14-6 down at half-time before mounting an extraordinary second-half revival. The turning point came when Foran combined with Dylan Brown, who set up three tries and earned man-of-the-match honours, to send Isaiah Papali'i over and reduce the margin to 14-12. A penalty goal brought the sides level before the Kiwis unleashed a scoring blitz that saw them run in 30 unanswered points after the break.
Kiwi lock Erin Clark delivered a brilliant performance, barging through three defenders to make it 20-14, while Naufahu Whyte proved all-powerful up front. The victory served as a powerful statement from Stacey Jones' men, reminding the rugby league world that New Zealand shouldn't be overlooked as contenders for next year's World Cup, especially considering their 30-0 demolition of Australia in the final two years ago.
A Career Defined by Resilience and Redemption
Foran's retirement marks the end of a remarkable 16-year career that saw him earn 34 caps for New Zealand and play 318 NRL games across spells with Manly, Eels, Warriors, Bulldogs and Gold Coast Titans. His journey has been anything but straightforward, with the player overcoming significant personal challenges including 17 surgeries, mental health struggles, and battles with alcohol and gambling that once led him to contemplate taking his own life.
The former Manly star, who won a premiership with the club in 2011, credits his wife Karina with helping him recover from his darkest period. In recent years, he has become a prominent mental health advocate, serving as an ambassador for the Top Blokes Foundation and launching Logan's Legacy, a charity honouring Karina's late son that provides mental health support for young people.
Reflecting on his decision to retire, Foran revealed before the match: 'The reason I've been hanging on to my footy career for as long as I have was the dream of hopefully winning another premiership. But this (playing for the Kiwis) is the next best thing.' He added that ending his career on such a high note felt like 'a reward for having hung in there for so long' through numerous injuries and setbacks.
Following the victory, an emotional Foran told Channel Nine's Phil Gould: 'Over the moon, I can't believe it the boys just dug so deep. I knew they would. We've had a really good campaign. I wanted to come in here and try and finish on a high. It's been a really tough year and to come in here and play with this bunch of boys and do it for our country was just the cherry on top.'
The 35-year-old will now transition into a coaching role with his former side Manly, bringing to a close a career that serves as a powerful testament to perseverance and mental strength in professional sport.
