South Sydney NRL legend John Sutton opens up on his booze and depression hell since retirement

South Sydney great John Sutton has confessed his problems with alcohol and depression became so bad that he had to have a stint in rehab this year to get his life back on track.

The 37-year-old has revealed he’s been struggled badly since leaving the game at the end of the 2019 season after a career in which he led the Rabbitohs to the 2014 premiership and became the club’s most-capped player.

‘The last few years haven’t been great. I have suffered bad depression ever since retiring and obviously, drinking didn’t help that,’ Sutton said.

Sutton (pictured centre holding the premiership trophy after Souths won the 2014 grand final) had to go to rehab as he struggled with drinking and depression after retiring

The Souths great says he’s now off the booze and trying to be ‘there more for my wife and family’ (pictured with wife Stacey)

‘I have been working on myself and the alcohol. I gave it up. I am staying off that. Every day that I stay sober is a good day.

‘It’s something that I just don’t need in my life right now.’

The former Bunnies skipper is still working for the club as a trainer, runner and development coach, but admits dealing with life after his playing career has been incredibly hard.

‘A few months ago I went into rehab and have been trying to sort my life out,’ he told Andy Raymond’s Unfiltered podcast.

‘It was just so weird after football. I didn’t think I would struggle that much.

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‘But playing 16 years of rugby league, it was tough in that sense. It’s hard to speak up … when I finished playing I didn’t want to talk about my problems until it got too bad and I was struggling.’

After making his NRL debut aged just 19, Sutton (pictured with Chris Hemsworth) spent the next 16 years in top-grade footy – and struggled badly when he retired

Despite having a stellar career that saw him captain Souths as they broke their 43-year premiership drought (pictured) and set the record for most caps at the club, Sutton was shocked by how hard life was once he took off his boots for the last time

Sutton made his first-grade debut in 2004 when he was just 19 years old and spent the vast majority of his adult life in the NRL system.

He believes the league needs to do more for stars who have just left the game, with his comments coming in light of the tragic death of champion player and coach Paul Green.

‘I have been grateful for Souths and I have a good job there but I think the NRL should do a lot more in that space where players are transitioning into the next phase of their life and career.

‘The last few months have been good for myself. I have been working on myself and becoming a better person, someone there more for my wife and family.’

Sutton believes the NRL isn’t doing enough to support players once they leave the game

Sutton’s only scandal involving alcohol during his playing career came in 2015, when he and teammate Luke Burgess were arrested during Souths’ off-season camp in Arizona.

The pair had charges of disorderly conduct dropped after an incident at a bar in Flagstaff that saw them get into an altercation with bar staff when they were told to leave.

Sutton played a record 336 first-grade games for Souths, scoring 68 tries and leading the side as they broke a 43-year premiership drought by beating Canterbury in the 2014 grand final.

A member of Maroubra’s Bra Boys, he played under eight coaches for the Bunnies and said that experience helped him in his later coaching career with the club.