Former NSW State of Origin star Brett Finch has opened up about hitting 'rock bottom' during a battle with drugs and alcohol in a podcast.
The former star halfback, who played for Canberra, the Roosters, Parramatta and the Melbourne Storm in a 270-game NRL career. told the "Turn Up The Talk podcast about how he lost his girlfriend and was stood down from two jobs at his lowest point.
Finch left Channel Nine after working as a commentator and panellist on the NRL Footy Show in 2016, citing mental health issues.
'Rock bottom was when I'd been stood down from Channel Nine, just to get healthy,' he told the podcast's cost Pat Clifton.
Finch recalled how he snuck into bed and pretended to be asleep after spending all night in his loungeroom 'using (drugs) and drinking' so that his then girlfriend Elli would think he had been in bed.
'[I] pretend to wake up, put my radio shirt on because I was working for 2GB Continuous Call at the time... I've already called Ray [Hadley] to tell him I was sick,' Finch recalled.
'Get in the car, go straight to me dealer's house.
'My missus is from Melbourne, she's not going to be listening to the radio, you know.
'I'm thinking, Finchy, you magnificent bastard, you've come up with a great.. you know, I'm just going to go get on it all day.'
Former NRL star Brett Finch, pictured with his wife Elli Johnston, recalled the moment she walked out on him during his battle against drug and alcohol addiction and his first thought was, 'Where can I pick up, where can I get another one from?'
'I sat there and - not that I've ever contemplated suicide - but I sat there and went, mate, this is not living, this is existing,' the former NRL star told the Turn Up The Talk podcast
Finch revealed his plan came unstuck when his mother heard on the radio he was sick and his girlfriend subsequently found out.
'Elli knew exactly where I'd gone,' he said.
'She said "I'm out, I'm going." Packs her bags and goes back to Melbourne.
'I get home, now I'm stood down from both
