He will turn 34 years old in 2026.
Entering the final year of his current contract with the Penrith Panthers, reports have emerged that a veteran forward is contemplating hanging up the boots on his playing career before the start of the 2026 NRL season.
Regarded as one of the most resilient players in the NRL, Matthew Eisenhuth has been a valuable member of the Panthers squad for over half a decade, following stints within the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers systems, where he played 70 first-grade matches.
Although he hasn’t reached the status of the likes of Liam Martin, Moses Leota or Lindsay Smith, he is well-respected among the playing group and even captained the side against the Canterbury Bulldogs in one match during this year’s campaign.
Turning 34 next year, Wide World of Sports reports that he is now considering retirement due to multiple injury problems, which would be a massive blow to the beginning of next season for the Panthers.
The 18th man for the Panthers during the 2024 NRL Grand Final against the Melbourne Storm, Eisenhuth previously opened up to Zero Tackle about the heartbreak of not being named in the four grand finals that the club won.
“The first one – I was playing a lot that year – probably hurt the most but once you have a little bit of time to reflect on it, my perspective is that you don’t get to be a part of teams like this too often,” he said in 2024.
“After that one you sit back, reflect and since then we’ve gone on and won two more and I’ve played big parts in all three years.
“I don’t know how many NRL games I’ve played across those three years and we’ve won comps. As much as you’d want to be a part of them, I feel like I’ve played my part in helping the boys getting them there.
“I still party like I’ve played in it anyway. The memories will be there for a lifetime.
“I can tell my kids, my grandkids that I was part of something special so it’s something I’ll look back on at the end of my career and be pretty stocked that I was part of it.”
