Nathan Lovett-Murray reveals his battle with the demon drink and how he was centimetres from death when he was stabbed last year.
FORMER Bombers star Nathan Lovett-Murray has opened up about being stabbed, a battle with alcohol that forced him into rehab, and a new life after football.
"I've worked extremely hard for the things I've got," Lovett-Murray, 31, told the Sunday Herald Sun.
"My eyes are wide open now. I'm Âextremely grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way."
In a candid and wideranging interview to promote his rap label, Payback Records, and its involvement in the upcoming Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival, Lovett-Murray said surviving those off-field incidents had inspired him to mentor troubled souls.
He also revealed:
THE knife that stabbed him was centimetres away from killing him.
HIS six-year-long fight with alcohol dependence.
BEING haunted about hitting rock bottom while in rehab.
"Rehab wasn't easy," Lovett Murray said. "It showed me a side of what could happen if you do hit rock bottom and lose everything. I really don't want to get to that place."
The midfielder, who played 145 games for Essendon, checked into rehab last November, two months after he retired from the AFL.
"To be honest, I've always known I've had a problem with alcohol," he said.
"Six years ago, it got to a stage where I wanted to do something about it.
"I'm lucky I had an uncle who had been 18 years sober at the time. He took me to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Nathan Lovett-Murray and Jannalli Brown with son Mara in 2008. Source: News Limited
"I was able to get sober and learn how to not have to drink.
"I got three years up, then relapsed, and found it hard to get back into the meetings.
"Rehab made me focus on going to meetings.
"It's a journey that I've been through. If I can help other people who are going through similar problems, I'm more than happy to talk about that side."
Lovett-Murray said there was no specific incident that caused him to go to rehab.
But he felt lost after leaving football.
"I played football for 10 years and I was used to a certain structure," he said.
"When that is taken away, and you don't have that structure anymore, you can go out there and things get a bit loose, a bit too Âexcessive."
After quitting the Bombers, Lovett-Murray was selected to play in the indigenous Australian rules team against Ireland.
"We were in Ireland for three weeks. After that, I felt really tired, mentally. I needed a break," he said.
"I was lucky to have good friends who were able to get me into (rehab). The way I see it, I fell off the bike, but I'm back on the bike again.
"I'm ready to go into the next phase of my life."
Lovett-Murray stayed in rehab for two weeks.
A family man with two boys, aged 10 and 5, and a baby girl on the way, his children also led to his fight for sobriety.
"You want to be a role model for your children. You want to be doing the right things for them," he says.
"That was the key factors for wanting to go to rehab."
Lovett-Murray also thought of his precious family as he was rushed to hospital after being stabbed during a domestic altercation last May.
Police said the incident involved a former partner of Lovett-Murray's girlfriend.
They arrested a 22-year-old man and 17-year-old boy.
Lovett-Murray underwent surgery for his injuries.
"I was very lucky," he says.
"I spoke to the (Essendon) club doctor (Bruce Reid) and he said if it was another 2cm to the right, I could've died."
Lovett-Murray said the stabbing happened so quickly, he didn't realise he was cut until he saw blood.
"I suddenly felt strange, like, 's---, something is not right'. Then, suddenly I was in an ambulance going to hospital. It was very scary," he said.
Within hours, Lovett-Murray's family and suspended Bombers coach James Hird were at his bedside. It told Lovett-Murray who his true supporters were.
"When you have a high profile, you get a lot of people around you, but an incident like that shows you who's real, and who's not," Lovett-Murray says.
"I learned a lot that day.
"I believe in where I'm going. I want to be around the right people.
"I became very grateful for the life I have … and to make the most of opportunities."
Lovett-Murray played his last game for Essendon, against the Tigers at the MCG, on August 30.
Lauded by his peers as a "warrior", Lovett-Murray said in his retirement speech: "I've had a really good run and it's a great club." Today, he says he knew his time as an AFL player was up.
"It was an easy decision," Lovett-Murray says.
"I felt like, mentally, I was over it. I was more excited about other things. The world was my oyster. I wanted to start on a life after football."
That life includes Payback Records, a hip-hop label Lovett-Murray founded in 2008, to promote indigenous artists.
Payback stars Yung Warriors, Crystal Mercy, Briggs, Whitehouse, Miss Hood and Philly will perform at the Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival, heating up the stage for headliner Jessica Mauboy, at Federation Square on ÂFebruary 8.
Payback is also a partner of Bunjil, a music business project guiding indigenous artists through the maze of the music industry.
"I understand what it means to be a role model," Lovett-Murray says.
"As a man who has done well, and had a little bit of success, I have to give back to community, I have to give back to the kids."
Lovett-Murray wants to set up an indigenous mentor program at Essendon and, if it's successful, other AFL clubs.
"The younger indigenous players need someone to talk to," Lovett-Murray says.
"When you come from a small country town with nothing, and go to the city and get everything, it's hard.
"You need good people to help you make the right Âdecisions."
Hope he is alright, I spoke to an assistant coach of our vfl side this year I forgot his name, he said were trying to sign nat rat up for the vfl team, just for a hard nut And Rucker for the side. He said we also signed another young bloke forgot his name too who was overlooked in the draft all because he has a hearing problem and the boy is a GUN.
Alex Hickey is the bloke with the hearing problems. Was captian of Geelong Falcons last year.
Hopefully NatRat eventually signs, he deserves the best.
Love Nat Rat, best wishes to him.
Interesting comment about Hird…
That is a funny looking kid.
Hope NatRat gets better. Loved his aggression and attack of the ball when he was with us, fearless.
Within hours, Lovett-Murray's family and suspended Bombers coach James Hird were at his bedside. It told Lovett-Murray who his true supporters were.
But but James Hird doesn't care about his players or their health :rolleyes:
<3
That is a funny looking kid.
Kid? I thought they were posing with their grandpa.
Not sure doing an interview so soon after rehabbing is a good idea.
Not sure doing an interview so soon after rehabbing is a good idea.
Gutsy though to just get it out there.
Godspeed Nathan.
That is a funny looking kid.
That kid is already on the books as the son of a 100 game player and is therefore Father-Son eligible.
I hope he's viewed as very unattractive to females and can concentrate on footy is his formative years.
Hope NatRat gets better. Loved his aggression and attack of the ball when he was with us, fearless.
But but James Hird doesn't care about his players or their health :rolleyes:Within hours, Lovett-Murray's family and suspended Bombers coach James Hird were at his bedside. It told Lovett-Murray who his true supporters were.
They just had to get in that he was suspended.
That pic is from 2008, so the kid should be in auskick by now.
I'm a bit confused trying to piece it together, I gather his girlfriend isn't the mother of his first child (otherwise her ex seriously needs to get over her if it's been more than 10 years - its still been 5 though, right?).
Anyway I'm surprised to think that he's been drinking heavily for the last 3 years, how does one manage to do that and keep up training etc.
Then again he just said he was dry for 3 years then started dirnking again, doesn't say it was heavily.
Weird that it just says he was 'tired' so he went to rehab? WTF?
Without wanting to discount NLM's issues with the bottle (if he's saying it's a problem I believe him, it's a personal struggle), I get the feeling the media could be beating this up a bit. Then again, they aren't really saying much, just leaving it all to the imagination.
Anyway I hope he's okay, and at least he's keeping busy with his music and community interests.
Sounds like he was ■■■■■■?That pic is from 2008, so the kid should be in auskick by now.
I'm a bit confused trying to piece it together, I gather his girlfriend isn't the mother of his first child (otherwise her ex seriously needs to get over her if it's been more than 10 years - its still been 5 though, right?).
Anyway I'm surprised to think that he's been drinking heavily for the last 3 years, how does one manage to do that and keep up training etc.
Then again he just said he was dry for 3 years then started dirnking again, doesn't say it was heavily.
Weird that it just says he was 'tired' so he went to rehab? WTF?
Without wanting to discount NLM's issues with the bottle (if he's saying it's a problem I believe him, it's a personal struggle), I get the feeling the media could be beating this up a bit. Then again, they aren't really saying much, just leaving it all to the imagination.
Anyway I hope he's okay, and at least he's keeping busy with his music and community interests.
He 'quit' the club? Pretty sure he retired.
Any training watchers got any ideas how his son is training?
He 'quit' the club? Pretty sure he retired.
Ask suspended bombers coach James Hird
Hope NatRat gets better. Loved his aggression and attack of the ball when he was with us, fearless.
Within hours, Lovett-Murray's family and suspended Bombers coach James Hird were at his bedside. It told Lovett-Murray who his true supporters were.
But but James Hird doesn't care about his players or their health :rolleyes:
Exodus. l have nothing but respect for NLM, and wish him all the best for the future. Sounds like he is centered and keen on giving back something. we can only hope his new mentoring program works out well for new kids from remote areas.
Hope the club can keep him around in some capacity. Bleeds red and black.
Yeah, that one ■■■■■■ me too. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story...Ask suspended bombers coach James Hird
He 'quit' the club? Pretty sure he retired.