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NRL legend Braith Anasta has opened up about some of the struggles he faced as a young athlete and hopes others won't have to go through the same.
"I hit some real lows, some real dark days where I did want to retire and I was like 23, 24, which is crazy, you know?" he says on the CelebrityKind Podcast.
Anasta was just 18 years old when he was called up to play first grade for the Canterbury Bulldogs and while he "was so pumped" about getting into professional league early on, at times, the pressure to prove his skill and ability was too much.
He says one of his lowest points was being named the "most over-rated player" two years in a row, in a peer-voted poll.
"I remember sitting down talking to mum going, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't enjoy it anymore. I don't love this game that I loved for so long. You know, this game, it was my life."
He also discusses how important it is for sporting bodies and clubs to support young athletes who might be struggling mentally, especially in the age of social media where people can post whatever they want online without thinking about the repercussions of their words.
Anasta now works as a mentor and agent for both golf and league players. Listen to the full podcast here:
