Munster’s reveal sets himself up for redemption

It was a significant step for a superstar of the NRL who has starred for his club, his state and his country.

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But Munster isn’t the first to make such a public pronouncement that he needs help as players put their reputations up for public scrutiny, hoping they come out the other side better people as much as better footballers.

Munster’s declaration follows in the footsteps of several high-profile NRL stars to check into rehab, including Mitchell Pearce, James Roberts and Brent Naden.

The Storm star featured in a leaked video and was filmed dancing with a white substance in his hand.

Both Munster’s club and the NRL came down hard on the star five-eighth. He copped a $30,000 fine from the league and a whopping $100,000 suspended fine from the Storm.

He was also removed from the Storm’s leadership group and agreed to additional behavioural conditions.

Most notably, however, Munster will abstain from alcohol for 12 months and will spend four weeks in a treatment facility, beginning on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old admitted he had struggled with alcohol abuse in his past and noted he still had “some hurdles to overcome”.

Despite the gloom surrounding Munster at this point in time, he only has to look at Pearce’s redemption story to know the path ahead can be bright.

In 2016, footage was leaked of a heavily intoxicated Pearce at a woman’s home simulating a sexual act with her dog, having already urinated himself on the woman’s couch.

He was slapped with an eight-game ban and a jaw-dropping $125,000 fine from the NRL over the incident.

The 32-year-old fronted the media two days after the video was aired and left Australia for Thailand, where he attended an intensive rehabilitation facility for a lengthy period of time.

Pearce credits his time at the Thailand facility for helping him get back to who he was as a person and has also excelled on the footy field since.

A switch from the Sydney Roosters to the Newcastle Knights in 2018 helped Pearce earn a recall to the NSW Origin side in 2019 and the Blues to their third series win in 14 years.

Penrith Panthers star Naden is also another player who checked himself into rehab in recent times.

Naden tested positive for cocaine, having used the substance the night before the 2020 grand final.

After the Panthers’ loss, Naden approached the club and disclosed several personal issues he wanted to address.

He subsequently underwent a voluntary rehab program at a private Sydney facility.

Naden proved to be a vital cog for the Panthers in the 2021 season and played a pivotal role as Penrith earned their third premiership last Sunday.

The 25-year-old will also move to the Canterbury Bulldogs for 2022.

Wests Tigers centre Roberts has entered himself into a rehabilitation facility on three occasions.

In 2016, Roberts visited a facility in Thailand — the same one Pearce did — after he was involved in an alcohol-fuelled incident at a Brisbane bar.

The 2018 season began strongly for Roberts and he was selected for NSW in Origin, but he checked himself into a rehab facility again at the end of the season of his own accord.

Roberts again entered a treatment facility during his time with the Rabbitohs in May last year before penning a two-year deal with the Wests Tigers.

The centre has struggled to shine for the Tigers as the club finished a disappointing 13th, but with his first season for Michael Maguire’s side out of the way, he’ll be hoping to help the team make the finals for the first time since 2011.

As Munster prepares for his four-week spell at a treatment facility, he only needs to look at the careers of Pearce, Naden and Roberts to know there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Storm chief executive Justin Rodski confirmed Munster was on his last chance with the club, and it’s one the star can’t afford to waste.