NRL journeyman James Roberts looked an unfamiliar site on the day he announced his retirement after 12 seasons, five clubs, 166 games and 77 tries.

The injured Bundjalung man, 29, was left to take in the applause of fans at Leichhardt Oval wearing a tailored suit, chaired off by his teammates on Sunday.

Affectionately known as Jimmy the Jet, the flying outside back was loved for his pure pace.

That fondness spanned fans from South Sydney to Penrith, Gold Coast, Brisbane and lastly, Wests Tigers, and to his representative stints for NSW and the Indigenous All-Stars.

The Ballina Seagulls junior, who was born in Kempsey, represented the Blues three times in the state's 2018 winning series against Queensland.

But his best rugby league was north of the border where 117 first-grade appearances were played from 2013 to 2019, including 41 tries across every second Broncos game.

That third season was also when Roberts was named 2015 Dally M Centre of the Year.

Roberts nearly called time two years earlier before joining the Tigers, but an injured back and surgery earlier this year to prolong the career finally became too much.

"James has done some amazing things in rugby league and was one of those few players who could bring a crowd to its feet," Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe said in a club statement on Monday.

The raptures on Roberts should hardly be surprising considering his deadly pedigree.

He is the nephew of former star Amos Roberts, but also the cousin of NRL greats Greg Inglis and Anthony Mundine, and Brisbane pair Albert Kelly and Tyrone Roberts.

Roberts had struggled away from the playing arena, having battled through well-documented issues with alcohol abuse, that included attending rehabilitation clinics on three separate occasions to address the drinking that led to depression.

But acknowledging the impact of his actions, Roberts has also contributed to countless community programs designed to empower and inspire Aboriginal communities.

Story by Andrew Mathieson