A former NRL superstar has revealed his new muscular body, using exercise to fight his demons after falling into depression in retirement and feeling ashamed of his decline.
Premier League winner and star player Willie Tonga is in high spirits today after showing off the impressive physique he has built after reading an expert’s opinion that it is impossible for him to regain the muscle he has lost at his age.
The big change in his lifestyle came after he realised he was struggling to find his place in the world when his football career came to an end.
Tonga had a successful NRL career, including 212 top-flight appearances for six NRL and Super League clubs, eight games for the Queensland Maroons and 12 appearances for Australia.
He won the championship with the Canterbury Bulldogs and was part of the deadly North Queensland Cowboys team, which also included his mate Johnathan Thurston.
But beneath her tough and glamorous exterior, Tonga struggled with mental health issues.
He was forced to take a break from playing in Townsville to work on his mind, a decision that left him stronger than ever before.
Tonga not only confronted his own demons, he also became a mental health advocate and even saved his close friend and NRL colleague Reni Maitua, who decided to commit suicide in 2014.
This image was the turning point for Willie Tonga, who was ashamed of his body, despite having a build that most men his age would be proud of.
The former Bulldogs star set to work creating the sculpted new body that has him looking even fitter and stronger than he was during his active days.
Tonga hopes to inspire others by sharing his journey and revealing why he chose to rebuild his body and change his habits
As he retired from football and approached his 40th birthday, Tonga faced new challenges as he tried to adjust to life after football and his body changed with age.
Tonga said he couldn’t bear to give up the sport he loved and kept trying to play long after his body told him to stop.
“I finished in England in 2017. My body was broken but I kept reaching out to clubs because I was afraid of retiring because I had nothing to fall back on,” he said. News Corp.
‘What is my purpose? Who am I without a football in my hand?’
Tonga fell into bad habits, drinking to excess and letting himself go until he became miserable. Then he decided to do something about it.
Tonga (right) struggled with mental health issues during his active career and even saved the life of his good friend and Parramatta teammate Reni Maitua (centre).
Tonga (right) was part of the great Queensland Maroons dynasty and enjoyed a stellar rugby league career with six clubs and two continents
The former Kangaroos representative struggled with mental illness during his active career and took a break from the game for a while
Now he has decided to share his journey with his followers on social media, in the hope that he can make a positive difference in other people’s lives.
“This post can go two ways. It can inspire people or of course it can be shared with other people and I will be laughed at and mocked for being ‘big’ on myself,” he said.
‘To be honest, I don’t care.
‘A quick rant, but here it goes.. The last photo was taken in February 2021.. It was the middle of the 1800s, my mental health was not at its best and I remember looking at myself in the mirror and feeling ashamed that I had let myself get to this point.
‘I was an ambassador for Deadly Choices. As an ambassador, my job is to promote a healthy lifestyle and way of life within the community, but I wasn’t living it myself.
‘Around the same time, I was listening to a guy on a podcast who said that you can’t build muscle at 40 and that it will only decrease.
“I thought to myself, okay, let’s check that out, and the journey began.”
I have been on a journey for the past 3 years to work on myself, not only physically but mentally as well.’
Tonga is now enjoying his role as ambassador and has been spotted at NRL grounds across the country and at bush clinics for young indigenous footballers.
Tonga, pictured with Brisbane Broncos legend Steve Renouf, is now an ambassador for indigenous health group Deadly Choices
And he said that there was finally a place of peace for Willie Tonga in the world.
“I truly believe that all those years of playing professional Rugby League laid the foundation for what God had in store for me, which was to help my people in some way and give something back,” he wrote.
‘It is priceless when you can put a smile on someone’s face because you are part of their community, or because they are happy to meet you and because you make time for them.
“I’m grateful for what I’ve done in the sport, the highs and lows that have come with it, the people I’ve met, the opportunities I’ve been given, but to be in the position that I’m in now is a true blessing. Praise God.”