15 hours ago
10
Jharal Yow Yeh paced his way up the terraces inside the Accor Stadium on Sunday evening, overcome with the magnitude of the events that had just unfolded in front of him.
The 35-year-old former Brisbane Broncos winger had witnessed his team finally break their agonising 19-year wait for a premiership alongside his former team-mate and Brisbane great Jack Reed.
Michael Maguire’s side had staged a comeback for the ages, rallying back from a 10-point deficit at half-time, to defeat the Melbourne Storm 26-22.
Emotions were high inside the Sydney arena, with Reed and Yow Yeh - whose footy career was agonisingly cut short due to a horrific leg injury he suffered during a game in 2012 - both embracing with a massive hug.
A video, published by Josh Tuqiri on Instagram showed the heartwarming moment tears fell from Yow Yeh’s eyes after the match as he stopped to celebrate the victory with other Broncos fans. '[This is] what it means,' Tuqiri wrote in the caption.
Yow Yeh, who hung up his boots in 2014 and took a role working in the media and as an ambassador for the football club, was later seen partying in the dressing rooms with Clive Churchill Medallist Reece Walsh, veteran Brisbane star Ben Hunt, Pat Carrigan and Tyson Smoothy.
Former Brisbane Broncos stars Jharal Yow Yeh (right) and Jack Reed were seen embracing on the concourse at Sydney's Accor Stadium
Yow Yeh (right) cut a teary eyed figure, overcome with emotion following his club's victory
It was a huge night for Yow Yeh (right, with Reece Walsh) after his career was agonisingly cut short at the age of 24 due to a horror injury, before he went into a downward spiral
And the celebrations went on wildly into the night, with the Broncos dancing and cheering after being crowned premiers for 2025.
‘What a day, what an atmosphere, what a club mannnnn!!!! “Champs”,’ Yow Yeh said, publishing several images of the epic day on his Instagram.
Watching him walk up the steps at the Accor Stadium with tears in his eyes was a particularly moving image for many, considering his rugby league journey.
The Brisbane-born star signed for the Broncos in 2009, and would go on to make 60 appearances for the Queensland club, before moving to the Norths Devils in 2013.
But during a game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs back in March 2012, his life and footy career was flipped upside down after Yow Yeh suffered a horror compound fracture of his lower right leg that still causes him issues to this day.
'People say does it still hurt... yeah f*** it still hurts man,' Yow Yeh told Sam Thaiday's 'We Are Human' podcast back in 2020.
Doctors had feared that the injury was so serious that the Brisbane winger may need to have his foot amputated. Thankfully, that was not needed, with Yow Yeh instead requiring ten operations during his recovery.
'If I showed the world what is really wrong with me people would be horrified. I don't think people would understand the severity. I would say I am disabled in some capacity.
The footy star, who opened up on reaching 'rock bottom' following his injury was seen in the dressing room, celebrating with the Brocos squad, including Pat Carrigan (left)
His former team-mate Ben Hunt (left) grabbed him and gave him a huge hug, as the Broncos five-eighth showed off his premiership ring
'I knew it was bad when I went to the hospital and a lady got out my file. I was a 23-year-old man, yet it was as if I was a 60-year-old and she said, 'I have never seen anything like this and I have been here for 15 years'.
'Mentally, it gets to you as well,' he added.
The injury forced him to retire prematurely at just 24 years old.
But the former Queensland Maroons star fell into a dangerous spiral of drug abuse, which left him struggling with his mental health.
The footy star would even contemplate taking his own life.
He revealed to the podcast that he also had a painkiller addiction following the injury and added that he would mix alcohol and prescription drugs and sleeping pills to help alleviate the pain in his leg during nights out.
'I got away with a lot because I seemed so happy so no one would ask me questions. One night I went to an establishment and took about six Endos (Endodan painkillers) and got absolutely blind,' Yow Yeh said.
'I don’t remember too much of that night, but I remember waking up and thinking I did take all those last night? I don’t know how I survived that. It got worse from there.
Yow Yeh would be forced to retire from professional footy in 2014 at the age of 24
The former Broncos players lapped up the atmosphere by the Sydney Harbour Bridge before the match (Pictured, right, Brisbane's Game Development officer James Geurtjens, second right, Yow Yeh, third from right, Reed)
Yow Yeh would return to playing footy, but revealed he hit ‘rock bottom’ when his relationship with his then girlfriend, British and Portuguese model Anna-Lucia Thackeray, ended.
'I was not picking up anyone’s phone calls. My mother was calling and my grandmother was calling me but I didn’t answer them. I didn’t care about anyone. That was the day I would have killed myself I reckon. Not reckon – I almost did,' the former Broncos star said.
But had his neighbour not gotten in touch to give him the contact details of an Ashgrove Pastor, Yow Yeh stated that that was ‘probably going to be it.
He added: ‘ I was on the ground crying and [thinking] "I can’t do this s**t any more".’
Yow Yeh explained that he is in a much better headspace since retiring from footy.
He has worked as a community and corporate ambassador for the Broncos as well as the club’s Indigenous Support Officer. Yow Yeh has also co-hosts Triple A Murri’s Murri Country radio program too.
In 2019, he would tie the knot with his wife Ashley St Georges and the couple would welcome their first child in 2023.
'I am a lot better. I have a beautiful wife. A new baby on the way and a great family. I am such a different person, I am very spiritual now,' he said.
The winger (pictured with his wife Ashley) added that he was in a much better frame of mind after retiring
Broncos fans were left feeling emotional after they saw the former greats of the club celebrating
'The last few years have been a journey, but made me the man I am now. I am excited to see what life brings.'
Fans, meanwhile, were elated to see the Broncos greats mingling with the Brisbane faithful during Sunday’s victory.
One saw the clip posted on Instagram and commented: ‘Jharal’ with a heart emoji and a fire emoji.
‘REEEEED’ another added, while one said: ‘Aww Jo @jharalyowyeh’ adding a love-heart emoji and a teary-eye emoji.
‘How good to see the emotions from the former greats,’ one said while another added: ‘Legends.’
Call Lifeline on 13 11 14
Call the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
