The former captain is hanging up the boots after 10 seasons and 163 games.
Melbourne Storm veteran Christian Welch has confirmed his immediate retirement from the NRL after 10 seasons in which he overcame three ACL injuries and a ruptured Achilles to play 163 games. Reports emerged on Tuesday that the former Storm captain was weighing up his future after copping a head knock at a pre-season camp.
The writing appeared to be on the wall when the 30-year-old wasn’t present for the Melbourne Storm’s official team photo, and he was tellingly left out of the club’s leadership group for 2025. On Tuesday afternoon he confirmed to AAP that he was hanging up the boots.
Welch revealed he required a cocktail of drugs to get through last year’s grand final against Penrith, and is now struggling just to put on his shoes. One of his three serious knee injuries robbed him of the chance to play in Melbourne’s 2017 premiership triumph and he was part of three losing grand finals, only lifting the trophy in 2020.
He played six State of Origin matches for Queensland between 2019 and 2021, also helped negotiate the most recent pay deal while serving on the board of the Rugby League Players Association. Welch told AAP a recent concussion at Melbourne’s pre-season camp reinforced his decision to walk away.
He suffered a back injury in Melbourne’s pre-season match in Fiji last year and battled through the season, hoping the herniated disc would heal without surgery. “In the grand final I was on pretty heavy neural meds and I was taking probably like six to eight, a real cocktail of medicine to try get through the game,” the front-rower said.
“It was a real struggle and it probably reflected, to be honest, in that grand final, and I suppose my body just really struggled. I’ve been carrying it since last season and I was hoping maybe in the off-season I could correct it and come back pretty good but it just was hanging around. And then at the Geelong camp I just got a bit of a (head) knock and so that’s a concern as well, considering my history.”
Christian Welch grateful for Melbourne Storm career
Welch is now set to undergo a discectomy (to remove a disc in his spine) to relieve the nerve pressure in his left leg which has left him struggling to do “pretty basic life things”. Speaking about his career, the 30-year-old said: “It’s just been the best time – I know I’ve had some injuries and we’ve lost some grand finals, but it’s seriously been the greatest joy.
“And that’s probably more off the field, to be honest, the relationships and the memories, you know, the bus rides, and the card games and the hotels, roommates – that’s probably what I’ll look back on more fondly than anything on field. But it probably reached a time where my body was just struggling to cope with the demands of the NRL and 10 long years playing and a lot of injuries. I’m very happy with what I’ve been able to achieve and very grateful to be at this one club for so long.”
Christian Welch keen for administrative role in sport
Welch is hoping to take on an administrative or commercial role in sport, with an NRL CEO job part of his long-term future-thinking. “I like to think I’ve tried to prepare well for this moment, but it’s still daunting and no doubt, still pretty emotionally challenging,” he said.
“I haven’t made this decision with something that I’ve got to go to, it’s more kind of been a bit unexpected. I’ll just kind of take my time and I guess be really grateful for being part of the Storm and the NRL system and then if I can find a way to stay attached and contribute that would be really exciting for me.”
