{"id":1142,"date":"2026-09-04T00:39:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T00:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sportprocess.co.uk\/?p=1142"},"modified":"2026-09-04T00:48:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T00:48:10","slug":"1142","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sportprocess.co.uk\/?p=1142","title":{"rendered":"Jai Arrow sends emotional message to public support ahead of 100th Rabbitohs game.Jai Arrow has described…."},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Jai Arrow sends emotional message to public support ahead of 100th Rabbitohs game.Jai Arrow has described….<\/p>\n

Jai Arrow\u2019s emotional reaction to public support ahead of 100th Rabbitohs game<\/p>\n

The retired star will share one final moment with his teammates as he battles motor neurone disease.<\/p>\n

Jai Arrow has described the support surrounding his devastating diagnosis as \u201cunreal\u201d as he prepares to play his 100th Rabbitohs game on Friday.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The retired South Sydney forward will take the field against the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium before being replaced shortly after the opening whistle.<\/p>\n

Arrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in May, forcing him to announce his immediate retirement just two games short of the milestone.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The NRL granted him special dispensation to take the field twice more, allowing him to reach 100 appearances for the club in an emotional farewell.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Speaking ahead of Friday night\u2019s game, Arrow admitted he was feeling the weight of the occasion.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Pretty nervous,\u201d he told Sunrise.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But the 31-year-old said the extraordinary response from rugby league fans and the wider community had meant a great deal to him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything all along has been unreal. I\u2019m really looking forward to tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Arrow \u2018deserves every minute of accolades\u2019<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s milestone follows emotional scenes on the Gold Coast last weekend, when Arrow made his 99th appearance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett helped Arrow put on his socks and boots before the game, while the crowd sang You\u2019ll Never Walk Alone as the players entered the field.<\/p>\n

Arrow stayed alongside his teammates for several extra moments after the whistle, appearing to wave off attempts to call him back to the sideline.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A huge crowd is now expected at Allianz Stadium to honour the former representative forward in his final appearance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly told Sunrise Arrow continued to inspire everyone around him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve just seen the courage and the character and the measure of Jai and all the things that he does every day to inspire us here at the club, and inspire our members and inspire our community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe just want him to celebrate those last moments. He gets to run out with his teammates and enjoy the adoration that he\u2019s well earned from our fans and our members and everyone in that stadium tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Solly said Arrow deserved \u201cevery minute of those accolades\u201d as he faced the devastating diagnosis with immense courage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThat diagnosis in May was terrible, really, for everyone at the club, but most importantly for Jai and Berina and his beautiful daughter Ayla,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Solly praised the way in which the community has responded, saying support had come from rugby league fans, South Sydney supporters and people across Australia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Milestone shirts sell out<\/p>\n

Arrow and his young family visited South Sydney\u2019s headquarters on Friday morning after supporters lined up outside the door to purchase a special shirt celebrating his 100th game.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a queue here at 7.30 yesterday morning to buy the 100 game T-shirts, and that\u2019s just a symptom of what he means to people and what his fight means to people, and the way in which people have responded,\u201d Solly said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The limited-edition red and green shirts have since sold out at the Rabbitohs\u2019 Maroubra store, with the remaining stock only available at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.<\/p>\n

The overwhelming response follows months of fundraising and support for Arrow, his partner Berina, and their daughter Ayla.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More than $225,000 has been raised through the Gold Coast Titans-led Stand With Jai Round, while the month-long Jai July campaign brought athletes, clubs and major sponsors together in support of the family and FightMND.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Players across the NRL, NRLW, AFL and rugby union adopted a bow-and-arrow celebration as part of the campaign.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MND is a rare neurological condition that progressively damages and kills the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Arrow was diagnosed with bulbar-onset MND, which initially affects speech and swallowing before progressing to other parts of the body.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He had experienced unexpected weakness, coordination problems in his left arm, and changes to his speech before receiving the diagnosis.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Solly said standing beside Arrow and his family was the natural response to the \u201ccourage and character\u201d he had shown.<\/p>\n\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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