Bush Beat: Former NRL player Joe Williams to end two-year rugby league absence
FORMER NRL halfback Joe Williams will put family first when he ends his two-year absence from rugby league to line up for the Grenfell Goannas in the Woodbridge Cup.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
FORMER NRL halfback Joe Williams will put family first when he ends his two-year absence from rugby league to line up for the Grenfell Goannas in the Woodbridge Cup.
Williams has played for a host of country clubs since retiring from the NRL in 2008.
Now he will don the boots to help Grenfell – on-and-off the field.
“It is just about going back and having some fun,” said Williams, who is close friends with Grenfell captain-coach Steve Taylor.
“I have a few first cousins playing in the team and some family members that I grew up with and we are all close.
NRL DAILY: Fittler’s one and only dilemma
CASUALTY WARD: Fonua may miss remainder of season
“It’s not like I’m going back to help a struggling club. They are going pretty well.
“It is more about going back to get a few more people through the gates.”
Williams was expected to play for Grenfell this weekend, but he had to withdraw due to muscle soreness.
The 34-year-old half says he struggles to find time for training while he is dedicating long hours to his full-time job in mental health promotion.
Williams was in West Arnhem Land last week for work, Newcastle this week, while he has trips to Queensland and Western Australia planned.
“I’m all over the place, it’s why I’ve got to get my body right first before I play again,” he said.
“I’m stupid if I go in underdone. I’m a big danger of getting myself hurt.
“I haven’t played footy for a long time.
“I’ve put on a bit of weight, I won’t lie.
“In saying that, I’m only a couple of kilos heavier than what I used to play at.
“I’m not a fat mess, but I’m a lot heavier than I’d like to be.
“It is just all body conditioning stuff and getting my body back used to running and getting up and down again.”
On top of playing football at Grenfell, Williams is determined to make a difference in the mental health space.
He endured battles during his league career, which prompted him to contemplate suicide.
Williams is now travelling the world to share to his story in a bid to help others suffering in silence.
“In the regional and remote areas it is a lot tougher,” he said.
“The services are low and people just don’t want to talk about depression in the smaller areas.
“I understand that, because I was one of those people for a long time.
“But it is slowly improving. The awareness when people are talking about it is a positive thing, but the next step is even more important.
“What do we do when he are not well?
“It is all about that education factor and that is why I go out and talk to people.
“It’s all about suicide and mental health management.
“It is a good thing that we are speaking about it, but it also shows that the communities where I speak are in a hell of a lot of pain.”
As a proud Cowra product, Williams also wants to help promote country rugby league.
“Because it’s a mess,” he said.
“We are struggling to get kids playing and people through the gate.
“It costs kids a lot of money to play and if you’ve got a few kids it becomes every difficult.
“If I can have a small impact on people it is only going to be beneficial.”