El Masri to retire at season’s end

Australian rugby league’s record points-scorer Hazem El Masri is to retire at the end of the season.

El Masri, 33, has played his entire career for Canterbury Bulldogs amassing 2,318 points, scoring 154 tries and 851 goals.

Born in Lebanon, he has made 305 appearances for the Bulldogs, appeared once for the Australian national side and played in the State of Origin for New South Wales.

He said: “Retirement is not an easy decision.

“I play rugby league because I love it but the time has come for me to make the difficult call that this year will be my last.”

He also revealed he had considered retiring last year but played another season after the Bulldogs finished bottom of the table.

“I wanted to prove a point again. It was a disappointing year last year and, with the new signings and a new coach, I wanted to step it up for one year and make sure that I go out on a high.”