Retired Kiwi International and Warriors star Sione Faumuina has revealed that he battled alcoholism and depression during his playing career.

Faumuina, a silky backrower in his prime, said Auckland’s media spotlight became too much for him and turned to drinking.

“I was over rugby league, I was over being in the public eye and I wanted to walk away from the game,” Faumuina told EON Sports Radio.

“The New Zealand media can be quite vicious.

“They love praising their sports stars, but as soon as there’s a negative headline to be written, they’re all over it.

“It was hard getting booed by my own fans, getting ridiculed, and my family’s right there in the middle of the stands, around these people.

“It was really hard for my father. He’s a staunch Samoan man so for him to see our family name dragged through the headlines for the wrong reasons, it really affected him.”

Faumuina said only now was his relationship with his dad back on track.

“It’s only recently that I’ve started to get a relationship back with my father. It means the world.”

You can read more in Faumauina’s book, ‘The Second Phase’.