Aaron Gray says he is no longer on painkillers after overdosing on prescription drugs
AARON Gray proudly says he is no longer on painkillers. Which is a good thing given Gray’s dependence on prescription drugs almost cost him and former teammate Dylan Walker their lives.
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AARON Gray proudly says he is no longer on painkillers.
“No, the body is good — the best it has felt in years — so I don’t need them anymore,’’ Gray said.
Which is a good thing given Gray’s dependence on prescription drugs Endone and Tramadol almost cost him his life last September.
Gray said he had tried not to think too much about that frightening night that led to him and former teammate Dylan Walker being rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital.
The near-death experience stunned the NRL, and forced many in the game to address the issue of prescription drug abuse.
For Gray, it made him realise how lucky he was to be playing first-grade football for a club he loves.
And that might explain why he has knuckled down and been one of the most impressive performers for South Sydney over the summer months.
“It didn’t hit me until a couple of weeks later, and once it did, it really put life into perspective,’’ Gray told The Daily Telegraph.
“You can let something like that make you or break you, and I definitely wasn’t going to let it break me.
“You don’t take anything for granted once you’ve nearly lost it.
“I try not to think about that night. If you think about it you’ll dwell on it, and you don’t really want to do that.
“It’s been good to put a line in the sand and leave it back there, move forward, play footy, which is what I love doing.’’
Gray impressed on the wing during his debut season for the Rabbits, even though his knee caused him plenty of pain towards the back end of the season.
After undergoing off-season surgery — his accidental overdose came just days after his operation — Gray is moving freely, which makes you wonder how much he’ll improve again this year, likely on the left wing.
Coach Michael Maguire has been impressed with Gray’s pre-season, and knows the 21-year-old also looms as a genuine centre option. Bryson Goodwin, Dane Nielsen, Kirisome Auvu’a, Hymel Hunt, as well as Ed Murphy and John Olive, and possibly Alex Johnston are also candidates.
The Bunnies lost a gun centre in Walker, who left the club after a fallout over the late-night incident to join Manly. Gray said he remained in regular contact with his childhood mate, and backed him to “have a massive year’’.
As for Gray, he’s just hoping to get a crack at the Sydney Roosters on Sunday week.
“That’s the game you look forward to most during the year, it’s a big rivalry, the fans love it, there’s always a good crowd, and if I’m lucky enough to get picked, I’ll enjoy it, that’s for sure,’’ Gray said.
Originally published as Aaron Gray says he is no longer on painkillers after overdosing on prescription drugs
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