Understanding factors that motivate players to continue participation in sport can foster long-term participation and positive retention rates. The aim of this research was to determine the extent to which a player’s decision to not return to Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) in 2017, was influenced by four experiences, which are player, coaching, social and club. This article draws upon social interactionism as a theoretical perspective to interpret meaning from the data and investigates sports’ social processes and their impacts on and from human interaction. A quantitative approach was employed to investigate patterns of associations from 2310 participants (junior (ages 10 – 18), n = 1804 / senior (ages 19 – above), n = 506). Patterns were demonstrated by identifying specific Means (M) and percentages (%) across each of the four experiences and groups (junior and senior). Participants demonstrated significant (M, %), uniformed responses, concerning the four experiences and their influence on individual retention motivations. Data from this research have identified that there was a substantial number of players (40%, n = 917) who consistently indicated that their main reason/s, for not returning in 2017, was due to a ‘negative experience’ (21%, n = 496) or ‘injury / fear of injury’ (18%, n = 421). It is envisaged that findings and subsequent recommendations from this study, will inform future NRL’s player development framework and strategies aimed at addressing and improving player retention rates.