Russell Packer has lived one of the wildest arcs in rugby league - from a teenage prop playing men’s footy in Levin, to 100+ NRL games, prison, the threat of deportation, an MBA from one of the world’s top business schools, and a completely different life after footy.Russell opens up about the parts of his story most people don’t see - the demons, the damage, the work, and the daily battle to be better for his partner Lara and their kids.We talk:•⁠ ⁠Discovering Wim Hof, ice baths and chasing healthy extremes•⁠ ⁠Growing up in Foxton, playing men’s league at 14 and life lessons from Levin Lions•⁠ ⁠The Sydney assault: what actually happened, the court case and media narrative•⁠ ⁠A year in jail, isolation, anger, acceptance and the moment his daughter broke him•⁠ ⁠Rebuilding his life and career after prison•⁠ ⁠Nearly being deported from Australia and what that meant for his family•⁠ ⁠Studying business, getting into AGSM and graduating with an MBA•⁠ ⁠Moving into business: subdivisions, fencing and learning by failing•⁠ ⁠Curiosity, reading, and a lifelong thirst for knowledge•⁠ ⁠Raising an autistic son and becoming more empathetic and less judgmentalThis episode is brought to you by the TAB. Got a hunch? Download the new app today and get your bet on.Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.