Former rugby league player Eric Grothe has shocked footy fans with revelations about behaviour that has earned him a nomination for The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Ezra Mam is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
Grothe recently told the media that he skipped games because of fear and that he turned to illicit drugs during and after his playing career.
The Parramatta Eels legend played 152 games in one of the most successful teams in history but recently admitted that he should have played a lot more. He confessed that he would fake injuries to avoid playing and that he felt smaller than many of his opponents.
“There were a number of games I pulled out of on Sunday morning,” he said.
The famous winger, who represented NSW and Australia, said he also suffered from depression, and started using drugs in an effort to block out his worries.
“I did have some drugs when I was playing, every now and then I’d partake in some during the footy season, in the off-season a little bit more.” he said. “Just your standard marijuana.
“But I never really escaped myself. That was always there.
“You try to run away from yourself. You make excuses. I supposed having a smoke takes away from having to deal with it.”
Upon retirement he turned to cocaine, and he broke up from his wife and his relationship with his children suffered.
Another tale of an on-field star who was held up as an off-field role model.
Image: NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 