At his prime former NRL star Craig Field was rated with the upper echelon of halfbacks in the NRL, at his lowest he was serving a jail sentence for manslaughter.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Now Field just wants to help kids avoid the mistakes he made.
"If I can help one kid, then I think I've done good. But I honestly think I can help a lot more," he said before he spoke to a group of youths at Taree PCYC on NSW's North Coast.
'Owning' his mistakes
Field recently started talking about his life experiences in the hope he might be able to help young people avoid the mistakes he made. Last month he addressed the Manly NRL squad. He formerly played with the Sea Eagles. This week he was in Taree.
At his prime Field was rated with the upper echelon of halfbacks in the NRL. However, life after football and at times during his playing career, presented problems. In 2014 he was sentenced to 10 years in jail after being found guilty of manslaughter after a man died following a fight with him in a carpark of a hotel in Kingscliff. He served eight years.
"Going through what I've gone through has put things into perspective. Now I want to do some positive things.''
Field said he is trying to own his mistakes.
"It's going to take time for people to see that I'm fair dinkum,'' he admitted.
"But small steps. So far it has been really positive. A lot of people in the community are backing me to get the word out and try and help these kids or anyone in general.''
As I got a bit of stardom and a bit of money I encountered different people and different characters. Because of that you can get lost along the way
- Craig Field
He was ecstatic at the way his talk with the Manly players was received.
"I was pretty nervous when I first got there. But the club was great and the players took what I said on board. I'd like to take credit for their win on the weekend,'' he said with a grin.
Field said he hopes to be a sounding board to assist people with their problems.
"Sometimes when you go through life and when you make a few poor choices, you don't own them,'' he explained.
"You're not going to tell people, because you don't want them to judge you. But in that situation they can talk to me, because I've been there. I've made the mistakes. Hopefully that'll make them feel more comfortable.
"When you start talking about your problems, you can fix them."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Field said his own childhood contained its share of trauma.
"There was a lot of alcohol... I saw a bit of domestic violence growing up,'' he said.
"I wouldn't say I had a bad childhood - my parents were always loving, but their lifestyle probably meant they weren't great role models.''
Rugby league and discipline
However, he said rugby league provided him with discipline.
"I never used to do the things my mates did at school. While they were out doing the things they were doing, I was concentrating on football,'' he said.
He admits that achieving status as a first grade NRL player did present problems.
"As I got a bit of stardom and a bit of money I encountered different people and different characters. Because of that you can get lost along the way,'' he said.
I didn't like one day (of being in jail), it wasn't the environment that I wanted to be in. But the choices I made put me there. I have to take responsibility for that.
- Craig Field
Field said he has no reservations talking about his time in jail.
"It gets everything out in the open,'' he explained.
"I can move forward instead of sitting in that same spot. I didn't like one day (of being in jail), it wasn't the environment that I wanted to be in.
"But the choices I made put me there. I have to take responsibility for that.
"But its somewhere I wouldn't want anyone I love or know to go. If I can help stop someone from going there, then that's what I want to achieve.''
'Scary moments'
He said he had numerous 'scary moments' in jail.
"I think a lot of people in there are scarred. They're in there for making the wrong choices,'' he said.
"I had opinions about people when I first got in there. But when I started talking to them, then I could understand a lot of it.
"I'm not making excuses for them. But someone needed to grab that person and help them. It's all about trying to make a change... helping people as best I can.''
Field no longer drinks and says he doesn't miss it.
"As I said, drinking and drugs lead to poor decisions. If you're going to do that stuff to excess then you're going to need a lawyer.''
Field is now 50.
"It seems to have taken a long time to get here,'' he smiled.
"Now I'm in a good place. Hopefully I can do some good things to help people.''
