Montoya had suffered an accumulation of injuries throughout his career, the most recent of which saw him undergo neck surgery in July 2025.
He had played just once for the Bulldogs since Round 8, appearing in their 30-20 win over the Storm in Round 12.
Montoya played 162 first-grade games for Canterbury (80) and New Zealand Warriors (82) after making his way through the Bulldogs' junior footy system, making his first grade debut as a 21-year-old after the first of his nine internationals for Fiji.
He will remain in the sport that he loves, transitioning into Canterbury-Bankstown's player welfare program and also assisting pathways coaches within the coach.
“Although I had the intention to finish off the season, the reality is my body just can’t keep up with the rigors of first-grade footy anymore,” Montoya said on Tuesday.
“I want to thank the Bulldogs for giving me my NRL debut back in 2017 and for bringing me back home to allow me to finish my career where it started.
“I’m excited to begin my next chapter - and will be cheering the boys on as they prepare for a big back end of the season.”
Bulldogs GM Phil Gould described Montoya as "very valuable and very popular" when paying tribute to his retirement.
"Marcelo has been wonderful for our Club since his return,” Gus added.
“His professionalism and work ethic, his care factor for his team-mates, his toughness and resilience, have all been an example to our younger generation of players."
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, as the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at several major events in Melbourne including the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and international cricket. You can read his pieces here and contact him on X or LinkedIn.
