Manly legend Steve Menzies has announced he will retire from rugby league at the end of the current Super League season just two months before turning 40.

Midway through his third season with Catalan Dragons based in the south of France, the former NSW and Kangaroos back rower used Twitter on Thursday to reveal his 21st season finishing in October will be his last.

@SteveMenzies11 I am officially retiring at the end of this year. Thank you to everyone that has followed Rugby League & allowed me to travel all over the world playing a sport I love for the last 20yrs. Without you all this wouldnt have been possible. I will truly miss playing this great game!

Menzies, who made his debut with the Sea Eagles in 1993, moved to the UK with Bradford after helping Manly to the 2008 NRL premiership for what was expected to be a one-season career swansong.

But after two seasons with the Bulls he moved to the Perpignan-based Catalans where he has played against some Super League players that were not born when he started with Manly.

Menzies is the most prolific try-scoring forward in Australian rugby league history, having crossed for 180 tries across 280 games for Manly and 69 matches for the Northern Eagles.

He pulled on the Blues jersey for 20 State of Origin clashes and won 19 Test caps for Australia.

AAP