The likeable 29-year-old Wests Tigers star became emotional when he revealed to teammates on Thursday that he had decided to retire due to a spate of head knocks he received this season.

Fulton is suffering short-term memory loss and confusion, symptoms which are of concern to him and his family.

He's been told the symptoms are reversible but they might not subside for a couple of years.

If he played the game again, Fulton said he could risk permanent damage.

With a young family to look after, he made the decision to call it quits a couple of weeks ago but went on holiday to Fiji to mull things over before he informed the club with which he played 161 matches and won a premiership in 2005.

Fulton expressed gratitude to the NRL and the Tigers for the strict concussion guidelines they've introduced this year, and said he couldn't see himself following in the lead of NFL athletes who had taken legal action against their sport over brain injuries.

"Rugby league has given me everything, to be honest. It's up there with the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life," Fulton said. AAP