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Greg Inglis
RugbyAdvocate
Australia
Greg Inglis is a former rugby league player who represented Australia and Queensland and played for the Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs. He won the Golden Boot as the world’s best player in 2009, helped South Sydney win the 2014 NRL premiership, and was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2024. [2]
Career and work
Inglis played 263 NRL games across the Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs. He appeared in five NRL grand finals, including Melbourne’s 2007 and 2009 grand-final victories and South Sydney’s 2014 premiership win. He later captained South Sydney and led the club in its 2015 World Club Challenge victory. [2]
At representative level, Inglis played 32 State of Origin matches for Queensland and 39 Tests for Australia. He won the Golden Boot in 2009 and was inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame in 2024. [2]
What has been publicly discussed
- Inglis was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder in 2019, after a second stay in rehabilitation for alcohol problems and depression. Psychiatrist Gordon Parker made the diagnosis, which Inglis later said helped him better understand the mood changes he had experienced for years. He discussed the diagnosis publicly in detail in a 2020 episode of ABC’s Australian Story. [1]
- Inglis has described long periods of depression, including times when he withdrew and struggled to function. He also described pronounced highs in which he trained intensely and felt highly capable, contrasted with lows in which he would “shut down.” [1]
- He has also spoken about problems with alcohol, including drinking heavily during difficult periods and entering rehabilitation. [1]
- Before receiving the bipolar II disorder diagnosis, Inglis was prescribed different medications for depression and anxiety, which he said did not adequately address his difficulties. During his second stay in rehabilitation, he participated in group therapy and became more willing to engage with treatment. [1]
- After psychiatrist Gordon Parker diagnosed bipolar II disorder, Inglis began taking a mood stabilizer. Parker said Inglis responded well and was able to maintain stable mood on one tablet a day. [1]
- In 2020, Inglis said he had finally found “balance” in his life after years of mental-health difficulties. He also described spending time with horses as calming and beneficial for his mental wellbeing. [1]
- Inglis founded the Goanna Academy, an Indigenous-owned mental-health education organization that delivers programs in schools and regional communities. Its work focuses on reducing stigma, encouraging people to talk about mental health, and improving access to practical support. [3]
- He has said that sharing his own experiences with depression, mood changes and bipolar II disorder is intended to help others recognize when they need support and feel more comfortable seeking it. [4]
“I want people to know that they're not alone, and it is OK to actually reach out.”
— Greg Inglis [1]
Sources and other resourcesExpand to view the sources used in this profile and resources to learn more.
Sources used for this profile
The following sources contain information that supports the claims made on this page.
ABC News / Australian Story“NRL legend Greg Inglis reveals how life without sport unmasked a mental illness” Detailed first-person profile covering diagnosis, mood changes, depression, alcohol use, rehabilitation, medication and treatment.
NRL Hall of Fame“Greg Inglis” Official career profile.
Goanna Academy Official site for Inglis’s mental-health education organization.
View all 4 sources
NRL“How Inglis is giving back on and off field” Interview about Inglis’s diagnosis and mental-health advocacy.
Learn more
Recommended books and other resources about Greg Inglis and their experiences.