How ex-Canterbury star Ewan McGrady sold his Rothmans Medal to pay debts

THE Sunday Telegraph can today reveal how former Canterbury indigenous star Ewan McGrady sold his 1991 Rothmans Medal to pay gambling debts.

Former Canterbury Bulldogs indigenous star Ewan McGrady.

IT’S been rugby league’s saddest secret for 26 years.

The Sunday Telegraph can today reveal how former Canterbury Bulldogs indigenous star Ewan McGrady sold his 1991 Rothmans Medal later that year to pay gambling debts.

It was the game’s highest honour before the Dally M Awards were introduced.

Five years ago we were made aware this wonderful old footballer no longer had the gold medal. Tracking him down to talk about it has been difficult.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ II: Broncos’ prime time slot comes to an end

MORE WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Saint, sinner, shoosh

Former Bulldogs hero Ewan McGrady today. Photo: Nathan Edwards

He’s been a recluse living at Toomelah, an indigenous reserve near the Queensland border. He only shows up on weekends these days to watch the local footy team play.

Still the same shy and wary person who famously didn’t show up to the medal presentation the year he won.

Not until it became clear he would win when legendary club secretary Peter “Bullfrog” Moore rushed him to the Hilton Hotel via a police escort.

Such is his cult status, you can even buy online missing person T-shirts featuring McGrady.

Last weekend we finally caught up in Boggabilla at the Group 19 grand final. And for the first time he was prepared to talk.

McGrady was watching Macintyre Warriors at the Boggabilla Sports Ground. Photo: Nathan Edwards

“It’s hard to believe I even won it,” he said. “It’s that long ago.

“I’ve never worried about it. There’s no point. It’s gone. It was an honour but if I don’t get it back, I don’t get it back.”

You can tell, though, that deep down he cares. You can see it in his eyes. Otherwise he wouldn’t have pointed us in the right direction to try to find it.

McGrady suggested we talk to Wes Patten, an indigenous halfback who played 91 NRL games around his time. Patten is one of a few who knew what happened.

“My uncle bought it off him,” Patten revealed. “He lived over the road from him and they were pretty close.”

The cult ‘missing McGrady’ T-shirt

So we tracked down Kevin Simpson, Wes’ uncle. He confirmed he bought the medal back in 1991. He said McGrady needed the money to pay bills.

He won’t say exactly how much he paid but we believe it was only a few hundred dollars.

A few years later Simpson sold it. We spoke last week. We have identified the person who has it and will speak to him this week.

I touched base with McGrady’s old manager, Sam Ayoub, who now looks after Johnathan Thurston, Anthony Milford, Blake Ferguson, James Tamau and Josh Mansour. Back in those days Ayoub was just starting his player agent business.

McGrady in his heyday for the Dogs in 1992.

“There was no such thing as welfare departments at the clubs,” Ayoub recalled.

“There were caring people at clubs but no one was professionally trained to help footballers.

“They wouldn’t have known he was gambling and doing his arse. I was learning, too, and probably embarrassed to ask him about his financial position.

“A lot of players liked a punt and didn’t finish up with what they should have. These days we’ve got all the financial planners and accountants available for them.”

Even McGrady’s dad, Stan, 85, had no idea what happened to the medal.

“We’ve just never seen it,” he said. “Not since he won it.”

McGrady had to be convinced at the last minute to receive the award.

The good news is the NRL is on board with the project to get the medal back.

I approached NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg, who has agreed to buy it on behalf of the game. Not to give to McGrady but to place it in the NRL museum. A home forever and everlasting memories of one of the great indigenous talents.

We will let you know how we go next week.