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The thing I love about sport is that at the end of the day it really is only a game.
Yes we commit hours of our time watching games and debating the latest hot topic, and we spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on tickets, merchandise and pay TV.
But it’s just entertainment, and as excited or upset as we might get at the end of a match it makes no material difference to our lives who wins or loses.
But for some the National Rugby League is how they provide for their families and how they identify as a functioning part of society. Whether it’s a club administrator, media personality or even a stadium canteen employee, for them the NRL means an awful lot.
Of course there is a group for who the numbers on the scoreboard and stats sheet can literally be life changing. For the 400 players of the NRL one crucial dropped ball or missed tackle can be the end of a career, as can the emergence of a younger and better player, or an injury.
A quick Google search reveals that the average career of a player in the NRL is 43 games over three or four years, and that does not count the hundreds who never make it to the top grade.
For all the glamour we dream of when thinking about life as an NRL player, the reality is that it is a stressful, high pressure job with little to no job security. Often these pressures are compounded by the fact young men move far away from their support networks of family, friends and partners.
Players in the NRL are no different to most 18 to 30-year-old men. Each year when we read about the latest off-field drama of a player we roll our eyes and run to the nearest internet forum to give our opinion. But the reality is the behaviour of our NRL players is no different to society at large. Look at any cross section of 400 young men and you’ll find some with alcohol and drug problems, some who have committed domestic violence, and some who are just idiots.
This week has again highlighted another deep societal issue that is occurring within the NRL playing group- depression.
Depression is an awful disease which affects far too many people in Australia, particularly the young. According to Headspace, a staggering six to seven per cent of 16 to 24 year olds will suffer from depression in any given year, while the Black Dog Institute reports that suicide is the leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24, while 20 per cent of the population will suffer from depression in any year.
Despite these shocking statistics and the amazing work of organisations such as Headspace, the Black Dog Institute, Beyond Blue, Lifeline and mental health care workers across the country, we as a society still attach a stigma to mental health and as a result it can be difficult for sufferers to seek help.
Unfortunately, professional athletes are not immune to depression. In fact their lives can provide a perfect storm. Their lifestyles can be difficult on relationships, they can be far from support networks and have their sense of identity snatched away in a heartbeat. Not only that, but the rough and tough nature of sport can make it intimidating for players to speak up and seek help.
In recent times though, we have been given small glimpses into the impact this awful disease has on players. My first memory of a player publicly announcing his battle with depression was Corey Paterson, then a young up-and-coming star for the Knights.
In more recent times Reni Matua and Preston Campbell have revealed they attempted suicide, while this week Darius Boyd opened up about his ongoing battle and time in hospital. All these stories are heartbreaking, and it cannot be understated the amount of courage it took these young men to be so open publicly.
But in reading the recent articles about Darius Boyd, I was struck by David Riccio’s strange side article about his interview with Darius. Riccio was full of praise for Darius and his willingness to open up, and also rightly pointed out that openness about the disease is the way for the NRL to tackle the issue head on.
What I did find disappointing was that there was no mention of the role the media have played in Darius’ story. We all remember how Darius was publicly crucified over an interview in July this year, and his infamous 2009 press conference while playing for the Dragons. Riccio’s own News Limited ran a headline, ‘What is Newcastle Knights star Darius Boyd’s problem when it comes to the media’, after Boyd struggled to answer questions when confronted in the street by a Channel Seven reporter.
His problem was of course he had depression. And when you have depression even the simplest conversation can be impossible. While the media had their laugh at Darius’ expense and reeled in the horror of his disrespect, for Darius even walking out the front door was probably an achievement greater than anything he has done on the field.
The article still contains tweets from other News Limited staff, including this from Gerard Middleton, “Darius Boyd. Will never grow up, will never learn, will never understand… when he goes… will never be missed.”
At the time of course it was not publicly known that Darius was battling with depression, but now with hindsight I think Darius is owed an apology.
In his article Riccio amazingly even stated that Darius still had a long way to go to swing public support back towards him. I suspect he really meant the media, and that they still resent how Darius acted towards them.
Unfortunately for all the bravery of the likes of Darius, Preston, Renny and Corey, and the great work of the NRL through their What’s Your State of Mind campaign, it seems as though for the media it’s more about page views than the actual issue, which is giving these young men the support they need.
After the tragic death of Robin Williams this week, mental health support services Lifeline and Beyond Blue have seen a rise in the number of people seeking help for depression. For young fans of rugby league it may be seeing their hero speak out about their own battles which lets them know it’s ok to speak up and seek help.
As the gateway for those messages it’s important for the media to be on board and help us as a society take away the stigma and tackle this awful disease.
If you or someone you know needs help please contact lifeline on 13 11 14.
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