Former Test and Queensland centre Justin Hodges is to retire at the end NRL season.

Hodges, 33, had another year to go on his contract with Brisbane but said on Monday he had decided to forgo it.

“I just feel now is the right time to announce this so the team and I can concentrate on playing our best football for the Broncos for the rest of the season,” said Hodges.

A veteran of 245 NRL matches, Hodges has battled back from serious injury several times.

He made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old for Brisbane in the 2000 season, playing two seasons with the Broncos before heading south to the Sydney Roosters in 2002.

He returned to the Broncos from the 2005 season and featured in their 2006 grand final win over Melbourne.

He played 13 Tests for Australia from 2006 and 24 State of Origin matches for Queensland, only retiring from that arena after the Maroons’ series-clinching 52-6 win over NSW in July.