A very frank interview regarding Zak's problems this year www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b3d83b4f35

A very frank interview regarding Zak's problems this year www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... b3d83b4f35

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Penrith’s Zak Hardaker opens up about his battle with personal demons

ZAK Hardaker’s life was spiralling out of control. His world had become “pretty dark”. He sat for days alone in his house with just bottles of alcohol keeping him company, refusing to go to training.
Prescription drugs became an issue and Hardaker was now a shadow of the man who had months before won England’s Man of Steel as the best player in the English Super League, and had led Leeds to premiership success.
For so long Hardaker has bottled up his emotions. Forced to wear the stigma surrounded by an untimely exit for Leeds, as he sought refuge in Australia and the Panthers. But in a heartfelt interview
Panthers import Zak Hardaker left England after struggling through a “dark” time.
Hardaker reveals how the loss of an unborn baby by his ex-partner had led to his world shutting down.
“My life became a bit of a blur to be honest,” Hardaker said. “It was a difficult period for me. It got pretty dark. I was having problems with my girlfriend at the time. It was tough.
“I didn’t cope with it too well. I didn’t know what to do. I sat myself in a little corner and didn’t move for a week. It was a dark time. If there is anything I’ve learnt, there is more to life than the bottom of a drink.”
Hardaker’s problems were exacerbated by the use of prescription drugs. While adamant illicit drugs were not used, Hardaker admitted to mixing alcohol with diazepam, a muscle relaxant, and tramadol, a pain reliever.
“That’s all it was,” Hardaker said. “Mix it with alcohol it doesn’t go too well. I learnt the hard way.”
Hardaker has found a new lease of life at Penrith.
Naturally as his world crumbled his football suffered. Hardaker was burdened with recapturing the form which set the competition alight last year. But as his performances dwindled so did that of a Leeds team who slumped to the bottom of the ladder, winning just four of the 12 games Hardaker played this year.
“People kept asking me what was wrong with my performance but I didn’t think I was doing too bad,” Hardaker said.
“But the year before I was so good. I didn’t realise how big of a difference it was. I was going to training and not being the same bloke. I’m quite a happy chap, and play up to people and smile. For a good month or two I was not myself and people noticed.
“I spoke to (coach) Brian (McDermott). I don’t know if he was fully aware of what was happening, and neither were the boys. I rang him up one day and said I wasn’t coming in. I didn’t want to turn up in some kind of state. So I sat at home. I don’t think I came in for three or four days.
“I got a head knock the week before so I wasn’t going to be playing, so I must’ve thought it was an opportunity to loosen up.
“It got to the point where I didn’t want to go to training. I didn’t want to play any more. It was bad. I was in a hole.”
A relationship breakup and living on his own made Hardaker feel isolated. He spoke with a psychiatrist who helped turn his life around.
“You need to get it off your chest,” Hardaker said. “Someone who had some ideas on how to help you. It was brilliant for me. He saw progression in me in just two weeks. From there I’ve pushed a few things away and embraced others.
“I lived with my mum and stepdad until I was about 22-23. Mum knew me inside and out. If I walked downstairs she’d know if I didn’t have a good nights sleep. She is a good judge of character. Being on my own and being secluded, you don’t talk to anyone.
“You live and learn and if you’re happy off the pitch it does reflect on it.”
Hardaker’s life had turnaround before he moved to the Panthers. It was a frank discussion with McDermott which instigated the move. Hardaker was told by the coach that he had lost his stranglehold on the No.1 jersey, with McDermott wanting to push youngster Liam Sutcliffe to fullback.
“Playing for Leeds was brilliant,” Hardaker said. “Leaving had nothing to do with Leeds. It was people where I lived. It’s a bit of a dog-eat-dog world and if people don’t like you, they just tell you and there isn’t much you could do about it.
“I got fed up and wanted a change and challenge. I had to come away. It’s not the ideal thing but I needed to get out of the way and come out here. The reason I didn’t stay was I wanted to help out the team. I wanted to stay but once Brian told me that I thought it was a good chance to leave and coming to Penrith was a no-brainer.”
Hardaker has been able to learn from his experiences.
Settled in just five minutes from Penrith’s home ground, Hardaker’s smile has returned. He is contracted to return to Leeds at the end of this season and remains committed to return unless another opportunity NRL opportunity arises.
Despite starring in England, he has spent the bulk of his six games sitting on the interchange bench.
“I’m used to playing 80 minutes so it’s a different role but I understood the role I would be playing before I came out,” Hardaker said. “It’s not a shock to me. Life is a different kind of pace to back home.
“I’ve come out of everything a lot stronger. I’ve cracked on with life with a smile on my face. I’m only 24 and I’ve made some mistakes but it’s about learning from them. It’s not an ideal thing to go through but it’s something that’s happened.”

Hope he continues to get better - in himself and on the field - whether with Leeds or in the NRL. Looks like Leeds have done all the right things to try and look after him too.

Be interesting to see where he'd be played if he returns at the end of the season.

Hopefully he can get himself sorted, in the end it's still just a game.

To us its a game to the players its a job/career.

He says he wanted a change and a challenge but then says he wanted to stay but McDermott told him it was a good chance for him to leave.

Contradictory much,

Sounds with the talk of him missing training that it was more a case of Leeds getting fed up of a guy on his last strike.

I agree, bad egg all round and abviously mcd's made it clear that he would rather give sutcliffe the chance

Definitely a bad egg. Running from his problems. Needs to man up. Compare what kids in Syria go through to this egotistical, self centred clown. Life isn't always a bed of roses Son

This -


Is the kind of thing I meant when I said it's just a game.

Some classy comments so far.


Whatever you think of him, he's been through the ringer emotionally the last 18 months. He's not a saint, but good on him for trying to turn himself around.

Some classless **** on here, 'man up' seriously?! I went through similar with an ex having a termination against my will and it just about tore me apart, wouldnt wish it on anyone. Wish Zak all the best.

Wow...

This is the reason why some people don't speak about mental health issues. 'Just man up' yes that's really going to help someone who's struggling... why didn't they think about that before, 3 words and hey they're cured.

Would you tell someone suffering from a physical illness or disability to man up too?

Well put. Mental health problems and suicide are the biggest killer in men under 45 and the 'man up' types only add to the stigma.

Mental health? He split from his missus (she did what she thought was best obviously) and he turned to drink. You can't just decide to not go to work and run all the way to Australia for a few months to forget your problems. Sometimes stuff goes wrong in life and you HAVE to cope. My lack of sympathy probably stems from seeing family members go through far worse than this idiot.

Seriously? I hope your family are all OK now but things have moved on in society. Depression isn't just something you can pull yourself off and it affects everyone differently. I actually think he did man up by dressing the issues. With the crowd he was in and the rut, he could have spiralled out of control but he spoke up. I wish him all the best and hope he means what he says.

There is a world of difference between mental health issues and a guy drinking constantly cos he has some issues going on.

If Zak had started drinking because of this i would understand but he had been drinking heavily and partying for at least 2 years before and while things were ok with his girlfriend. This wasnt the first time he had been drinking and missing training.

Look at the World Cup. He was on verge of been kicked out a week before he was until Sinfield begged for him to be given another chance only to have Zak throw it in his face the following weekend. Was that a mental health issue too or just an immature unprofessional kid???

As always with Zak its never his fault, theres never an apology and theres never a lesson learned.

This interview is one side of the story. I know the other players had given up on Zak in the end and clearly the club had at this point too.

Unfortunately he is contracted for 3 more years and i cant see anyone buying him out of that. Hopefully this time away will have matured him a little bit and he realises his errors but i doubt it very much.

I sympathise with what he has been thru but honestly believe this is more a maturity issue than a mental health one from what i know of the situation.

I wish him well but hope he finds another club and moves on personally.

spot on

Hope he returns to us and has many more successful years at HQ. Wish him all the very best with his current situation.

If Hardaker's account is right, then he's definitely done the right thing getting away, even if for a while. It also begs the question why the club didn't give him time off instead of playing him when he was in no fit state. There's nothing there to suggest the club offered him much support at all.

However, he does seem to (understandably) want to paint himself in as good a light as possible. Given what he's said previously about being tied to a nasty 4-year contract I'm not sure I quite believe his woe is me story.

Either way Leeds shouldn't have played him as much as we did this year, its no surprise he hasn't set the world on fire at the Panthers, and all parties would probably be best served if he stayed in the NRL.

How many players who've got tainted reputations ever take responsibility for their actions and come out and say things like 'I've been an idiot, I've acted irresposibily, I've acted immaturely and been a bit selfish, I've let fame and fortune go to my head and got carried away, I've made some bad decisions'

How many come out with 'I was in a dark place? I didn't want to leave my house (though they manage to get out to the pub), I was lonely and felt I had no where to turn, I was doing it tough, I've suffered with depression'....

The 2nd set of responses are much more common, much easier to throw out there, and bring a much more sympathetic and accepting response - almost wipes the slate clean for misbehaviour immediately.

No doubt the do-gooders will claim me saying this is 'adding stigma', but that's BS. People with genuine mental health issues should be given all the help and respect in the world. I've seen first hand the trauma caused and have nothing but heart felt well wishes for anyone suffering.

But on the flip side, I can't help but feel A-holes who act like a goose on numerous occasions over a sustained period of time, who then suddenly find the 'courage' to speak about their depression when they need some positive press deserve the cynicism they get.

Could feel sorry for him apart from the story keeps changing every few weeks so never know what is being said is true .

Wow which cave did you wake up in this morning?

Compare any of our issues to some kids in Syria and they will look trivial.

The idea that we all need to man up is luddite thinking - yes he was/is an immature young man who just happened to be in the public eye. Why do we expect young men who happen to play a high profile sport to act any differently to other young men who live less public lives.

It is right, but to be fair to the club they were also in a difficult position, which Hardaker recognises. They needed all hands on ship, and didnt' quite realise the seriousness of the situation at first. When they did, they did everything they could to make things work, and in the end agreed what was right.