Sione Faumuina: Alcoholic footy star confesses he turned up to training drunk and his teammates knew - as he opens up about blowing $1million and almost taking his own life

Former New Zealand Warriors bad boy Sione Faumuina has opened up about his self-destructive battle with alcoholism, how he wasted a million dollars - and the time he almost took his own life.

Faumuina, 43, was an extremely talented footballer who played 132 NRL matches for the Warriors, Cowboys and Raiders and represented New Zealand - but the troubled star never reached his full potential.

The Kiwi star was a wild and at times self destructive man off the field, and was never able to reign in his drinking habits, which would sometimes involve regular multi-day benders.

While playing for the Warriors, it wasn't uncommon for him to be out all night drinking before taking a taxi straight to the club for a training session.

'I was that guy who could go out all night, turn up to training and still come first in all our fitness drills,' Faumuina revealed on the Between Two Beers podcast.

'That was me. I smoked. I drank. Partied hard - but I trained even harder. That's how I used to validate that.

'And some of the boys used to get real p***ed off, they'd be like, "Man, you're still drunk - how can you come and beat us?'"

Although he was supremely talented, Faumunia says he found it hard to apply himself to the sport in the way coaches demand of their players.

'There was not one time in my entire NRL career that I said to myself I want to win an NRL grand final - than never entered my mind,' he said.

'And, honestly, if you ask some of the boys at the club, at the Warriors, it probably never entered their mind too.'

Then-Warriors coach Daniel Anderson found it frustrating that Faumunia and some of his teammates weren't as professional as they could be.

'We're in the team room... just lounging out there,' remembered Faumunia.

'And Daniel Anderson walks in. And he's like "Oh, man. What about that game last night! St George!" 

'And the boys look at each other and are like, "Yeah, what a game!"

'And he goes, "They didn't even play last night!"'

'Ando couldn't get over that we didn't watch footy. He couldn't get over that we didn't live and breathe rugby league.'

Faumuina, who was earning big money at the time, was involved in several alcohol-related incidents that made headlines in Australia and New Zealand.

The pressure of being a professional footy star was too much and he started to unravel, leaving each of he clubs he played for under a cloud of controversy. 

At his lowest point, while playing in New Zealand in 2004, he even thought about ending it all.

'I didn't see a way out,' he said.

'Mentally and physically I was done.

'I don't know if I've ever shared this, I did contemplate ending my life.'

Fortunately, Faumuina formed a close friendship with a club physio who helped him get through his rough patch and encouraged him to start attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Faumuina managed to cut back on the partying lifestyle for a while but never really escaped his demons as a player.

He retired at age 28 after a decade as a professional footballer with no clear plan in place after his tumultuous career.

He estimates he'd earned more than $1million, but had very little to show for it.

A big turning point occurred in 2014 after a conversation with his lawyer about getting access to his first child after his partner had moved away.

'She said, "Sione you need to make a choice. You either want to carry on partying and drinking or you want to see your daughter - what's it gonna be?"'

He decided to get sober.

The footy legend is now a business owner has settled down with his partner Renay - with whom he has kids Ella, Aiva and Kees.

He has since written a book about his struggles on and off the field and is devoted to helping young athletes transition into the second phase of their careers. 

'I guess it's like I'm making up for lost time now,' he said. 

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