Wendell Sailor reveals how he almost died on trip to Bali during his NRL days with Brisbane Broncos

Former dual-international NRL and Wallabies star Wendell Sailor has revealed the day he stared death in the face on a boys trip to Bali.

Speaking on Triple M’s Rush Hour with Wendell Sailor, Candice Warner and Jude Bolton, the former footy star re-called the time he travelled to Indonesia with premiership winning Brisbane Broncos teammates. 

‘Let me tell you, in 2000 it was a really good Bali trip. The Broncos 2000 squad after we won the grand final and just before the World Cup,’ he said.

‘If we’re thinking we’re kings of the world, imagine what I’m thinking.

Bolton asked: ‘It quickly turned into a banged up abroad episode?’

Sailor was at the peak of his powers in 2000 and thought he was bulletproof after winning the NRL premiership with the Brisbane Broncos

Speaking on Triple M’s Rush Hour with Wendell Sailor, Candice Warner and Jude Bolton, Sailor revealed he found out in Bali that he definitely was not bulletproof

As the trio laughed, Sailor began to detail the boozy adventures the players went on to celebrate their NRL title. 

‘So we’d had like three or four days on the p***, we hadn’t slept much, I’m rooming with Lote Tuquiri, it was great,’ he said.

‘We were staying at the Hard Rock Café. Anyway, we’re at this nightclub that turned into a day club. ‘It’s about six in the morning and I’m walking out with the boys. There was Ben Ikin, Darren Lockyer [and myself].’

Needing a ride back to their accommodation, the players suggested getting tuk-tuks, small, three-wheeled motorised taxis because of their ability to navigate through congested urban areas and narrow streets.

But Sailor had grander designs. 

‘Mate, we’re not getting tuk-tuks. I said boys, leave it with me,’ he said.

‘I saw this Mercedes there. I said: “Oi mate, do you know who we are? C’mon mate, take us”.

‘So this bloke standing next to the Mercedes looks over at me and goes “what?”.

‘I said: “You heard me mate”.

‘As he walks over, he puts a gun right at my head.

‘And at this stage can I tell you, I might have been drunk for four days but I sobered up pretty quickly.’

Sailor would go on to play for Australia at the World Cup after the infamous Bali trip and has never returned to the Indonesian holiday destination since

Sailor was also a star player for the Queensland Maroons along with his Broncos teammates Darren Lockyer, Ben Ikin and Lote Tuquiri who also travelled to Bali for the boys trip

Warner and Bolton could not decide whether to laugh or gasp at that revelation.

Fortunately Ikin, who has recently stood down from his role at the Broncos to become Queensland Rugby League chief executive, had the gift of the gab at a very young age.

‘Ben Ikin steps in and goes mate, mate, sorry mate we’re from overseas, didn’t mean to disrespect you,’ Sailor said.

‘Mate, can I tell you, I haven’t been back to Bali since.

‘So when you’re overseas, just respect the culture and the country.