Inglis says everyone walks in two uniforms every day. The first is yourself, your DNA and your family history, which you carry with pride and put your effort into first. The second is the organisation you represent. For him, playing for Queensland meant representing his family no matter where he walked.

He told Wayne Bennett in the preseason that he was going to retire, but Bennett told him to get through preseason first and see. Inglis felt good for a while, then reached round three and round four and called it. He believes he would have regretted retiring without trying to get the enjoyment back.

He had three meetings with Essendon in the AFL around 2010 and says it was almost a done deal before he chose South Sydney. Rugby union's Waratahs and Reds were linked to him, NFL scouts passed on interest from the New York Giants, and the South Melbourne Dragons asked about basketball.

He says he did not know how to cope with normal life, thought corporate work meant long lunches, and mixed prescription drugs taken for pain and sleep with alcohol. After five days he could not remember, he detoxed for two weeks at his sister's house, losing about 18 kilos, then went to rehab.

Diagnosed in rehab with depression, anxiety and bipolar II, he says he has learned boundaries, because giving himself to everyone sends him into a low mood, and to say the word no to himself and others. He also relies on a trusted core group of friends, motorbike rides and going home to be on country.