Veteran North Queensland Cowboys centre Brent Tate appears set to confirm his retirement from the NRL when he and manager ­George Mimis sit down with club officials and head coach Paul Green early next week.

Speaking to The Australian a week after undergoing reconstruction surgery on the knee he injured playing for the Maroons in State of Origin II in Sydney, Tate admitted the damage to the joint was significant.

While conceding the discomfort had exceeded the three previous anterior cruciate ligament tears he had suffered, Tate refused to speculate on the likely content of the talks scheduled for Tuesday.

While Tate is publicly keeping his cards close to his chest, privately it is understood the 32-year-old flyer has resigned himself to the fact he will finally succumb to the wretched run of injuries that had threatened to end his career on at least three occasions.

Read more at The Australian