Kane Evans' poignant interview: 'As gangsta as it gets'.

Warrior #257 ✊🌈

If you check out one piece of rugby league content today, make sure it’s Kane Evans’ raw, harrowing and incredibly moving interview with James Bracey on Channel Nine’s 100% Footy that aired last night.

Warrior #257’s 14-game stint at the club is regarded as one of the more disappointing from a performance perspective – and he touches on some of the contributing factors in that 2021 season.

The bigger issue, of course, is Kane’s struggles with his sexuality since he was 15, leading to substance abuse and suicidal ideation. The fact that he could even be subjected to blackmail threats to out him reflect that even today, it’s not as simple as being who you are if you’re a gay man in rugby league.

Ian Roberts remains a unicorn in that department – 28 years after the champion forward and trailblazer’s last NRL game, Evans’ revelation comes after hitting rock bottom, having felt like he had to hide his true self for most of his teenage years and his whole adult life.

It’s why I’m proud we had Roberts on the podcast in 2022 in the wake of Marcelo Montoya’s (incidentally, Evans’ clubmate in 2021 and next to him on the club’s roll of honour, as well as a Fiji Test teammate) homophobic slur, when most either didn’t want to touch it or wanted to whinge about the severity of his punishment.

It’s why Israel Folau’s sacking was more than a free speech issue, why the feeble ‘keep politics out of sport’ argument in relation to the Manly pride jersey boycott was absolute BS.

Bravo to Trent Robinson and the Roosters for reaching out to Kane; hopefully our club does similar. But mostly props to Kane – it’s clear how difficult taking this step was, but it’s impact could and should be massive…and timely as it coincides with Men’s Mental Health Month and Pride Month.

“I know some people that have done some gangsta things, but I feel like this is up there,” he said.

Couldn’t agree more.