Grothe exit opens door for Hicks

Parramatta winger Eric Grothe has been forced to retire from the game due to a knee injury.

Grothe, 30, leaves the club with one year left on his contract having racked up 67 tries in 142 NRL games, primarily with the Eels, bar a two year spell with the Sydney Roosters.

He said: “I’m going to miss the Club and especially the boys, but I feel it is the right time to move on.

“I‘ve had many injuries throughout my career and it’s getting harder to recover from them. I loved my many years at Parra but I have other things I want to concentrate on now.”

Grothe made his debut for the Eels in 1999 against the North Queensland Cowboys, and also represented City and Australia, before playing all three State of Origin games for New South Wales in 2006.

Parramatta could now move for former Warrington winger Chris Hicks, who retired from the Wolves last week, to create space for the arrival of ex-Canberra man Joel Monaghan.