Wallabies lock Izack Rodda speaks about his father’s suicide
Wallabies lock Izack Rodda’s father Jon was a tough fisherman who never let on to his son about his battle with depression.
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Wallabies lock Izack Rodda has spoken openly for the first time about his fisherman father’s suicide and the escape route that rugby has been from his numbness.
The impressive Rodda felt compelled, in part, to tell this story to help others deal with troubles they may be hiding behind the tough exterior of the old-school Aussie persona.
Rodda said his late father Jon, 46, was just that type, a rugged prawn trawler driver from Evans Head in northern NSW who largely kept hidden his battle with depression.
“People struggling tend to be the people you least expect, especially in my instance, where I didn’t have any idea what dad was going through,” Rodda said.
His emotions are still raw from his father’s passing on February 20, just two days before he played the Queensland Reds’ opener in Dunedin in his honour.
One of his greatest supporters won’t be there to talk through the excitement of the World Cup this year or throw in a fishing line beside him when it’s all over.
“Look, rugby has been my blessing in disguise through it all really,” Rodda said.
“It’s been an escape route to help deal with things because I feel happy and excited about going to work and there’s always been understanding from the great group at the Reds.”
Rodda has stepped up as an RU OK? ambassador to urge community support for the treadmill fundraising challenge, Tread As One, at Anytime Fitness centres nationwide on Friday and Saturday.
Donations for every 15-minute slot completed will aid the suicide prevention charity (www.ruok.org.au) when participants hit the treadmills during the 24 hours from 3pm.
“For me, I went through a state of numbness to start with because it didn’t feel real when I got the phone call about dad when I was in New Zealand with the team,” Rodda said.
“He was always that old school Australian hard man.
“He never really spoke about feelings and stuff like that which is why I didn’t think anything was wrong because it just seemed normal to me.
“The fishermen on the prawn trawlers are all hard-nosed blokes, they work on the ocean and they’ve got that persona.
“When dad had a trouble he’d deal with it by himself and I just want to get the word out that if anyone’s struggling, they are not alone, if they just talk to someone who cares.
“Even in the slogan ‘RU OK?’ it’s a question not enough people ask.”
Rodda hooked an 18kg jewfish as his prized catch beside his dad, who will be with him whenever he takes to the ocean again.
“That was actually the smallest fish caught that night about an hour off Evans Head,” Rodda said.
“Dad definitely had secret spots, he was old school in writing everything down, didn’t have a mobile phone and I’ve got his GPS with about 1000 different marks (for fishing) in it.”
Rodda still has bad days dwelling on the grief and “little bits of anger” in trying to understand it all but rugby has been a safe harbour.
The 17-Test forward now has his dad’s name tattooed on his left side to be with him all the way to the World Cup.
Lifeline 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Line 1800 659 467
Mensline 1300 789 978
KidsHelpline 1800 551 800
GriefLine 1300 845 745
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