Samoan International and former Newcastle Knights player Peter Mata’utia has revealed a suicide attempt which was only stopped when his wife and friend found him and urgently cut the rope that was wrapped around his neck.

Mata’utia is now playing in the English Super League and is part of a famous footy family that includes brothers Chanel, Pat and Sione.

“I struggled and it led me to trying to commit suicide,” he said.

“One of my best friends and my partner, who is now my wife, found me hanging in the closet. They cut the rope, pulled it off me and waited for me to come back to consciousness.”

Mata’utia says the incident happened while starting out in his NRL career with the Newcastle Knights.

On the weekend, he’ll run out for Castleford against St Helens in the English Challenge Cup Final.