Mason Gordon Retires from Rugby Due to Concussion
Queensland Reds young player, Mason Gordon, announced his surprising retirement from rugby at the age of 22. The decision comes after experiencing persistent concussion symptoms, as he explained in an open letter.
Gordon, brother of the newly joined Gold Coast Titans and former Wallabies fly-half, Carter Gordon, joined the Reds in the middle of last year, following the demise of the Melbourne Rebels.
He participated in Queensland’s pre-season match against Wales and then traveled to Tonga as part of a development team. Subsequently, he joined the Reds in their pre-season matches against Bristol and Ulster.
However, a head knock during a training session in Brisbane prevented him from debuting in Super Rugby Pacific with the Reds and ultimately forced him to hang up his boots.
After suffering a concussion during preseason training, from which I am still experiencing symptoms, and with the support of medical advice, I have made the difficult decision to retire from rugby for medical reasons.
Mason Gordon
In his letter, Gordon expressed his gratitude to all the medical staff involved, especially Karl Denvir and Neil Stevenson from the Queensland Reds, as well as the organization in general, including Les Kiss and Sam Cordingley, who gave him the opportunity to fulfill his dream of playing for Queensland.
Although Carter Gordon chose to switch codes after leaving the Rebels, Mason strived to get a contract with the Reds. He managed to impress enough to get a contract for 2025 and play under the direction of Les Kiss.
Gordon also mentioned the special memory of debuting with the Reds against the Welsh national team alongside his lifelong friend, Louis Werchon, and the opportunity to travel to Tonga, Japan and the United Kingdom as a Queensland player.
Finally, Gordon thanked his parents for their support and assistance in this decision, and requested that the media respect his privacy and the challenges he is currently facing due to the concussion. Currently, Gordon is in his final year of undergraduate studies in Property Economics at QUT and is looking forward to the next chapter of his life.
