Former NRL forward Patrick Kaufusi has announced his retirement from rugby league after beginning his career in 2015 with the North Queensland Cowboys.

Last playing in the NRL in 2019, Kaufusi's career saw him play for the North Queensland Cowboys, Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons where he amassed 31 matches in five seasons.

The ex-Junior Kangaroos and U20s QLD Maroons representative also featured for the Northern Pride, Brisbane Tigers and, more recently, the Townsville Blackhawks in the QLD Cup competition.

Able to play in the back-row or front-row, his final match was in Round 18 against the Burleigh Bears, where he was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a strike to the throat, which saw him face surgery to save his voice.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, the 30-year-old also managed two games for Tonga on the international arena and is the younger brother of Antoni Kaufusi and Felise Kaufusi.

His retirement from rugby league coincides with the Townsville Blackhawks confirming the departures of Christian Gale, Gehamat Shibasaki, Harry Quinlan, Jake Riley, Joel Baldwin, Nicholas Halalilo, Ratu Rotavisoro, Richard Holani and Will Wardle.

The most well-known out of the bunch, Shibasaki played one match this season for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and previously appeared for the Brisbane Broncos, Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys in 29 games.