Penrith Panthers star Brent Naden in hospital to treat alcohol issues
Brent Naden was admitted to a private medical facility in the week after Penrith’s grand final loss to the Melbourne Storm.
Phil Rothfield
Penrith Panthers star
Brent Naden has been admitted to a private medical facility to treat alcohol issues that may relate to being racially abused during a game in August.
Naden is
under the care of medical staff at South Pacific Private on the northern beaches, a facility that offers specialist treatment for addictions.
He was
admitted in the week after Penrith’s grand final loss to the Melbourne Storm, having approached the Panthers welfare team to discuss his issues with alcohol.
The Panthers were impressed by his decision to reach out for help and are now closely monitoring his progress and recovery.
Penrith chief executive Brian Fletcher confirmed that the NRL had been notified of Naden’s admission to the hospital.
In talks with Penrith’s welfare team, Naden admitted he had been affected by the
racial abuse issue in Gosford.
That combined with the loneliness being in lockdown inside the NRL bubble all year.
The Panthers insist the decision to
relegate Naden to the bench for the grand final qualifier and the decider against Storm was not related to Naden’s alcohol problem.
The club is confident he will be okay to play next year, but will give him as much time off as required for treatment.
Penrith kept Naden’s situation so private that not even board member Greg Alexander was aware he was in rehab until contacted by The Daily Telegraph.
“It’s sad to hear that he’s had to check himself into the rehab clinic,” Alexander said from the NSW Blues training camp.
“He’s gone through a tough time recently. I don’t want to elaborate on that.
“It’s just good that the club, all the players and coaching staff are right behind him. Hopefully he gets well soon.”
The former Wellington junior has emerged as one of the NRL’s best centres this season and is off contract at the end of next year.
In March, Naden revealed to The Daily Telegraph that he wanted to quit rugby league.
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