6 months ago
Steve Jackson is known to footy fans arsenic nan man who scored nan winning effort successful Canberra's fairytale 1989 expansive last triumph - but he has different accomplishment to lucifer it aft winning his conflict pinch nan bottle.
The 58-year-old is presently moving to beryllium named nan adjacent politician of nan Queensland city of Mackay and has opened up astir nan infinitesimal he deed stone bottommost and knew he had to hit his addiction.
'I was decidedly an alcoholic. I was nan alcoholic wherever 1 was excessively galore and a 1000 wasn't enough. When I started, I kept going,' nan NRL awesome told News Corp.
Steve Jackson is now moving to beryllium politician of Mackay, Queensland - thing he believes he could ne'er person done if he didn't triumph his conflict pinch booze
The 58-year-old became a cult leader erstwhile he scored 1 of nan astir thrilling and momentous tries successful rugby convention history to propel Canberra to triumph successful nan 1989 expansive last (pictured)
Jackson was having a dense nighttime connected nan portion successful nan institution of his boy erstwhile he decided to move his life around.
'I person 4 children. When my boy [Lleyton] was 12 years aged – he is now 23 – I was school him really to move maine a 7pm half-glass of Jack Daniel's and a 1am afloat solid of Jack Daniel's. I would sometimes spell done until sunlight.
'I retrieve waking up nan adjacent greeting reasoning what an idiot I was. I said astatine that very infinitesimal I will ne'er portion again.
'People laughed astatine maine but I haven't had a portion since nan 31st of March, 2013 ... that infinitesimal pinch Lleyton was a immense turning constituent successful my life.
'I mightn't person been present now if I didn't make that decision.'
The roadworthy to going teetotal wasn't a soft 1 for Jackson, who revealed that he isolated himself for nan first twelvemonth of his sobriety arsenic his mates tried to get him backmost connected nan drink.
Jackson reached a debased constituent erstwhile he was getting his past 12-year-old boy to move him glasses of Jack Daniel's astatine 1am
The Canberra Raiders fable (pictured pinch nan 1989 expansive last trophy) said he had to isolate himself for a twelvemonth erstwhile he first gave nan grog away
They failed, and Jackson - who says nan civilization of rugby convention erstwhile he played taught him really to portion - believes he would beryllium nary chance of moving for politician if he hadn't put nan vessel down for good.
He is moving connected a level of restoring pridefulness to nan bluish Queensland metropolis he was calved in, which he believes has 'lost its identity'.
Coincidentally, a triumph successful nan mayoral title would apt spot him moving pinch different Queensland rugby convention great, Martin Bella, who serves connected nan Mackay Council.
Jackson played 78 games during his six-year first-grade footy career, which saw him move retired for Western Suburbs and nan Gold Coast successful summation to nan Raiders.
But nary of those matches tin comparison to nan 1989 expansive final, erstwhile he hit 5 attempted tackles arsenic he hurtled towards nan tryline successful other clip and carried 2 Balmain Tigers defenders complete nan stripe.
It remains 1 of nan astir celebrated tries successful expansive last history, sealing Canberra's 19-14 triumph successful what's regarded arsenic 1 of nan biggest upsets successful nan year's biggest match.
