Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Marcelo Montoya retirement plans have been confirmed, with the Canterbury Bulldogs winger announcing he will finish his NRL career at the end of the 2026 season after more than 160 first-grade appearances.
The 30-year-old made the call on Tuesday, closing a journey that started with the Bankstown Bulls before he rose through the Canterbury Bulldogs pathways and into the NRL.
For more rugby league coverage, read State of Origin Game 2 man of the match race opens after Queensland beat New South Wales. Fans can also follow official club updates through the Canterbury Bulldogs website.
Montoya to finish where he started
Montoya made his first-grade debut for the Canterbury Bulldogs in Round 3 of the 2017 NRL season, scoring a try against the New Zealand Warriors.
He finished his rookie year with 12 tries from 19 appearances and won the club’s Steve Mortimer Rookie of the Year award.
"I started my career here so it feels right to also finish it as a Bulldog, from the kid running around for the Bankstown Bulls to playing in NRL Finals series and representing my culture on the biggest stages, I'll be forever grateful for the opportunities rugby league has given myself and my family." Motoya said.
"While I'm excited for the next chapter, I'm 100 per cent focused on finishing this season off strongly and hopefully doing something special with my brothers." Montoya continued.
Bulldogs winger leaves strong NRL mark
After his first spell at Belmore, Montoya joined the New Zealand Warriors before the 2021 season and spent four years with the club.
He built a reputation there as a hard-working outside back, valued for his energy, yardage carries and willingness to take tough sets out of trouble.
Montoya returned to the Canterbury Bulldogs for the 2025 season and has played 26 matches across the past two years under Cameron Ciraldo.
He has also represented Fiji nine times, adding international football to a career built on consistency and effort.
With retirement now set, Montoya’s focus turns to helping the Canterbury Bulldogs finish the 2026 season strongly as the club fights to secure a finals place.