Injury forces Costigan to retire

FORMER Papua New Guinea Kumuls captain Neville Costigan has retired from rugby league.
The announcement was made last Friday on the Townsville Blackhawks website, Costigan’s Queensland Cup side, with the fans and management acknowledging the contribution of one of their marquee signings in their inaugural year in 2015.
The 31-year-old made the decision to retire from playing after succumbing to a chronic knee injury this year.
Cositgan made his debut for the Kumuls at the 2008 World Cup and went on to play in six tests for the country of his birth.
He last represented PNG at the 2013 World Cup in England.
His departure from the game puts to rest the question of whether he would have made himself available for the Kumuls at next year’s World Cup.
The release stated that the Blackhawks medical and coaching staff had worked tirelessly with Costigan since the pre-season to try to get the rugged lock forward back on the field, but despite their best efforts and an unwavering commitment from Costigan, he had been forced to make the tough decision to retire from Intrust Super Cup. Costigan played 24 matches for the club.
During round 19 last year, Costigan notched up his 50th Instrust Super Cup game and went on to be awarded with the Blackhawks’ player-of-the-year award at the end of the season.
Before signing with the Blackhawks, Costigan played 200 games in the NRL and the English Super League since starting his career with the Brisbane Broncos in 2003.
Queensland-raised Costigan won an NRL grand final with the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2010.
He also played for the Canberra Raiders.
He would then go on to have stints at the Newcastle Knights (2011-2013) and then in the British Super League, with the Hull Kingston Rovers (2014), before returning to Australia and the Q-Cup.
The club said a player of Costigan’s distinction in the NRL and in representative football would be difficult to replace, but the staff and players wished him the best as he pursues a career after football in the mining industry.
“He contributed to setting up our culture from the start, in terms of good honest blokes, who are willing to work hard and put in every single week,” coach Kristian Woolf said.