After a challenging 18 months and a battle with mental illness, Roosters forward Angus Crichton has transformed from someone on the verge of ending his NRL career as a defender into one of the competition’s best defenders.
Now the NSW Blues star has revealed there were times last season when he wished he wasn’t on the field at all.
The 28-year-old has spoken openly about his admission to a psychiatric institution in France in late 2022 and the problems he experienced after returning home.
Rumors circulated via text messages falsely claiming that Crichton had fried his brains on mushrooms after the World Cup in the Netherlands.
While in France, Crichton suffered a manic episode. He was tasered, tied up and taken to a psychiatric institution.
French police initially suspected a reaction to a substance. However, Crichton, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, clarified that his episode was not related to drugs or alcohol.
His parents flew to France to take him back to Australia, where he received further treatment.
The road to recovery was difficult, with family and friends sometimes worried about Crichton not adhering to his medication.
Crichton is pictured running onto the field during his Reserves comeback match against Newtown
Crichton has found love with his new partner Chloe Esegbona (pictured together), who has been there for him through his well-documented struggles
The NSW Origin enforcer has since spoken out about his mental health struggles, including the manic episode that followed his diagnosis with bipolar disorder in early 2023, admitting he wasn’t ready to make a rugby league comeback.
“When I look back at where I was last season when I came back, I thought, ‘How in the world did I try to play last year in the state I was in?’” Crichton told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“There were times on the field where I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ I didn’t feel confident, powerful or strong. I wanted to be out there and my mind was telling my body what to do, but I wasn’t in the right place to do it.”
“There were definitely times when I thought, ‘Mate, just get me off the pitch’. Now there are times on the pitch when the game is over and I don’t want it to be over.”
Although the Roosters supported Crichton through his ordeal, which included multiple stints in psychiatric institutions early last year, his performances led to the club believing his services would not be required after 2024.
After a challenging 18-month hiatus, Crichton (pictured during the second match of this year’s series against Queensland) is back at his best in the Origin arena
The club even gave him permission to leave early when the Roosters attempted to sign Gold Coast enforcer David Fifita but failed. Despite this, Crichton was determined to leave on a high.
“I told you at the beginning of the year that I wanted to remind people who I am and not be remembered as the guy who was locked up in a mental institution, but as the guy who’s a great football player. I think it’s coming back to that,” Crichton said.
‘I can understand why people wrote me off, but when people don’t want you, you want to prove the opposite and show who I am and what I can do.
‘The most important thing in sports and life is inner belief and self-confidence.
“Believing that you are the best and what you can do and achieve. When you stand behind yourself and believe in yourself, that is the first step to achieving something great.”
“This is not how I imagined my career would be. When I look back on it now, it taught me a lot. I have a lot of determination and a lot of courage. But also a lot of gratitude.
“As hard as it is, I wouldn’t change it because it has shaped me into the person I am today.”
Today, Crichton has overcome his problems and has emerged as one of the most sought-after attackers in the league.
The Roosters recently awarded him a two-year contract extension worth approximately $1.65 million after months of negotiations.
He has also confirmed his relationship with girlfriend Chloe Esegbona. The pair were photographed kissing before the first State of Origin match in Sydney.
The Roosters attempted to sign David Fifita and said Crichton could look elsewhere, before re-signing him after his huge turnaround in form
Crichton will play a major role for New South Wales in Wednesday night’s Origin deciding match
Crichton recently made history by becoming the first player to win two consecutive RLPA ‘Player of the Month’ awards, thanks to his excellent form with the Sydney Roosters.
He is now a crucial player as New South Wales prepare for the deciding match against Queensland in the State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Wednesday.
During his hospital stay in early 2023, Crichton was visited by rugby legend Andrew Johns, who had high praise for the NSW Blues enforcer.
“He’s so brave. He was going through a really dark time and I just wanted to see him,” Johns said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
‘I’ve had a few fights, it’s well documented, and when you go through something like that, you think you’re the only one going through something like that.
“I just wanted to say, ‘You’re not alone, you’ll get through it’ – and he did. The way he’s playing now is a compliment to himself and the people around him.
‘He just looks so happy and you can see how fit and healthy he is… it’s so nice to see him back, not just on the pitch but living a healthy life. He’s such a legend and a good-hearted guy.’