NRL 2026: James Graham reveals mental health, alcohol struggles forced rehab stint, Dragons, Bulldogs, St Helens, England, Great Britain

Rugby League legend James Graham has opened up on his mental health issues and battle with alcohol abuse, after revealing he spent time in a rehabilitation facility last year.

Graham played 424 games in the front row for St Helens, the Bulldogs and the Dragons, as well as 54 Tests for England and Great Britain from 2003 to his retirement in 2020.

Since retiring the 40-year-old has moved into a media career and revealed on his podcast The Bye Round, that he needed to take a week off during last season to adress his issues.

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“This last 12 months has been particularly hard, there’s probably a number of different reasons why that’s happened,” Graham said on The Bye Round podcast.

“Not many people know about this … I made the decision to go to rehab.

“When I said I was away on holidays, I was a week in a facility for mental health. Which wasn’t long enough. You’re supposed to stay there for three but due to the job, I couldn’t disappear for three weeks. Disappearing for one week was difficult enough.

“I’m pretty good at justifying things, if I was involved in an accident and had an illness and I needed three weeks off work I’d do it, but for some strange reason (I didn’t). One of the reasons why I didn’t was because people would know, but why would I care?

“I can’t recommend it highly enough. It had a really good short-term fix for me, I felt like a new person. It was so nerve wracking going in, in the week I spent there I felt like I learnt so much and started to see things differently.”

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Graham has been vocal on concussion throughout his post playing days, famously saying that he played rugby league knowing full well the effects of concussion after extensive personal research on the topic.

“I found something worth dying for,” Graham said.

However, Graham has softened his stance since that comment and admits the advancements in player safety in recent years is to the betterment of the game and the players.

Graham admitted that since leaving the rehab facility he found himself slipping back into bad old habits and admits he struggles for balance in his life post football.

“Unnecessary drinking and abuse of alcohol,” Graham said.

“People talk about balance in life, I don’t have that balance, for me it’s just go hard at everything. That’s going hard at partying, wake up the next day hungover, dealing with the mental health, and then I go running.

“I run a lot, which I’ve found is so beneficial for mental health. I do weight training as well but running in particular is helpful.

“I’ll finish a really hard run but then want to go hard again on the drinking or eating, or whatever it may be. It’s not a balancing act, it’s just all in.”

Graham revealed a heartbreaking conversation with one of his best friends that forced him to look closer at the issues he was facing and often sweeping under the carpet.

“My best mate from school, we talk every day,” Graham said.

“When I was away on the tour recently and having a decent drinking sesh, I go off my phone, and the next time we spoke he said something that hit me between the eyes.

“He said, ‘Lad, I actually genuinely worry you’ve done something when I don’t hear from you’.

“I’d never do that and I think that’s important to know, and he knows that too. But I think to hear your friend say that (is eye opening).”

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