Former prison inmate Packer continues road to redemption

Sure the pedigree of a player who debuted in the NRL as a teenager and was a former Kiwi International was enough to tweak the interest of any NRL coach but McGregor insists he ventured beyond the walls of Silverwater Jail more interested in Rusell Packer the man than the footballer.

They spoke for more than two hours that day and McGregor left convinced he’d met a man genuinely remorseful for the violent assault that landed him jail and one determined to make a change.

‘‘The first time I met Russell was in jail,’’ McGregor said.

‘‘Before I met Russell I asked a few people about him and it’s like anything you get some mixed voices.

‘‘After I met the man I didn’t have any concerns at all. I saw a man that was in jail on an assault charge where he was very sorry about what happened.

‘‘It was a situation where he was intoxicated things went wrong and he’d ended up in a fair bit of strife.

‘‘I was certainly there for a long time, I was there a couple of hours.

‘‘What we spoke about will be kept between us but I saw enough in the man to see there was good inside that man.

‘‘I had dealings with his wife and two children in the time that Russ was away settling them in to Wollongong and got to know them quite ell as well.

“I know I’ve got a person who’s done everything he can to be in the right head space go to the next stage of his life.’’

On Saturday, Packer will make a major step towards the next stage of his life when he plays for the Dragons against Wynnum-Manly in Brisbane.

In practical terms the venue and opposition won’t be all that different to the one he encountered last year when he turned out for the Illawarra Cutters in the NSW Cup but for a man who, just two years ago, was at his lowest ebb it will be a significant moment.

‘‘I guess I won’t know until I experience it but I guess it will be a bit surreal putting an NRL jumper back on,’’ Packer said.

‘‘I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else but I’ve learned a lot along the way that I needed to learn.

‘‘What myself my family and the club have been through to get to this point it’s very satisfying to be in this position and be five days away from flying up to Brisbane and and putting on the boots and playing for the Dragons.

‘‘I’ve definitely got a different perspective on life and family and I’m just grateful to everyone at the Dragons for opening their arms and welcoming myself and my family into the club.

‘‘I can’t wait to get back on the field and repay the faith.’’