Luke Dorn confirms retirement
Castleford Tigers fullback Luke Dorn has announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2016 Super League season.
Australian born Dorn has spent the majority of his career in England after beginning his career in the NRL with Northern Eagles, Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters.
As a 22-year old, Dorn travelled over to British shores in 2005 to join London Broncos in Super League.
After two years with the Broncos, Dorn moved north for a couple of seasons bouncing around from Salford City Reds to Castleford Tigers before re-joining the Broncos.
Dorn played over 100 games during his second spell in the capital scoring over 60 tries in the process.
He returned to Castleford in 2014 and helped the club reach the Challenge Cup Final in that year. Dorn was originally brought back to the Tigers as a half back but found his home in the full back role.
In 2015, Dorn only appeared 14 times for the Tigers due to a couple of injuries but still continued as a constant threat whenever he was on the field scoring 10 tries. In the same year he made his 250th British club appearance, taking the record for an overseas player.
This season, unfortunately Dorn has missed a long period of time with a nasty hamstring tear but returned at Headingley last night to take on Leeds Rhinos, putting in an outstanding man of the match performance and scoring a hat trick on his return.
Following last night’s win Dorn now feels the time is right to confirm his future plans. The decision to retire hasn’t been an easy one but with a young family Dorn, 33, is ready to hang up his boots and return home to Australia:
“It will be with a heavy heart when I finish here, but it’s a great club I am finishing at, and I’m really excited that my last game will be for this great club.” said Dorn.
Dorn added: “It’s a completely different club from when I was here the first time, and I think we’ve all played a part in where the club is at now, Daryl from the top with his coaching staff, and the players that have come and gone, everybody is shaping the club in some way shape or form. I think leaving at the end of this year, I’ll be leaving this club in a good place.”
Castleford Tiger’s head coach Daryl Powell said: “You generally know when an Australian player comes over here that at some point in their life they are going to go home, and Luke has decided that this is the right time for him and we respect that decision. He’s had an awesome time here at the club and we wish him well, but he’s got a few things he needs to do here before he goes.”
Powell added: “He’s probably been the best attacking full back in Super League when he’s been fit over the past couple of years, he’s a real threat, and I’m hoping he’ll continue to do that for the remainder of his time here this season to help us achieve what we want.”