NRL great James Graham has opened up on his battle with mental health issues, revealing he spent time at a rehab facility last year.
The retired front-rower, who played 424 first grade games with St Helens, Canterbury and St George Illawarra, has transitioned into a full-time media career in recent years.
Graham hosts a weekly podcast, The Bye Round, while also working for Triple M.
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During the middle of the 2025 season, Graham left the airwaves for a brief period and the Englishman has now revealed the reason why.
James Graham during his stint with the Dragons. Getty
“This last 12 months has been particularly hard, there’s probably a number of different reasons why that’s happened,” he said on his podcast.
“Not many people know about this … I made the decision to go to rehab.
“When I said I was away on holidays, I was a week in a facility for mental health. Which wasn’t long enough. You’re supposed to stay there for three but due to the job, I couldn’t disappear for three weeks. Disappearing for one week was difficult enough.
“I’m pretty good at justifying things, if I was involved in an accident and had an illness and I needed three weeks off work I’d do it, but for some strange reason (I didn’t). One of the reasons why I didn’t was because people would know, but why would I care?
“I can’t recommend it highly enough. It had a really good short-term fix for me, I felt like a new person. It was so nerve wracking going in, in the week I spent there I felt like I learnt so much and started to see things differently.”
Graham revealed he had “started to slip back into old habits” since leaving rehab.
“Unnecessary drinking and abuse of alcohol,” he continued.
“People talk about balance in life, I don’t have that balance, for me it’s just go hard at everything. That’s going hard at partying, wake up the next day hungover, dealing with the mental health, and then I go running.
“I run a lot, which I’ve found is so beneficial for mental health. I do weight training as well but running in particular is helpful.
“I’ll finish a really hard run but then want to go hard again on the drinking or eating, or whatever it may be. It’s not a balancing act, it’s just all in.”
He shared a conversation with a close mate – who expressed concern that Graham had taken his own life – that opened his eyes.
“My best mate from school, we talk every day,” Graham said.
James Graham speaks about his mental health. Nine
“When I was away on the tour recently and having a decent drinking sesh, I go off my phone, and the next time we spoke he said something that hit me between the eyes.
“He said, ‘Lad, I actually genuinely worry you’ve done something when I don’t hear from you’. I’d never do that and I think that’s important to know, and he knows that too.
“But I think to hear your friend say that (is eye opening).”
Graham is regarded as one of the toughest players of the modern era and one of the greatest English imports to the NRL.
He has also spoken openly about his battles with concussion during his playing days.
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