!["I fell in love with it again," Adam Murphy says of rugby league. Picture by Mark Bode "I fell in love with it again," Adam Murphy says of rugby league. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/80526813-982d-4af5-a215-20c632da9aee.jpg/r0_0_3141_2728_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
At a country rugby league ground, Adam Murphy's emergence from a cold, dark void was on display in all its transcendent splendor.
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Three years after ending a six-year retirement from the sport as he battled mental health issues exacerbated by alcohol, the Tamworth abattoir worker fought for dominance in the middle of Kootingal Recreation Reserve against much heavier marauders.
After a stunning golden-point comeback win, the 31-year-old prop's Roosters had prevailed 34-32 over a crestfallen Kangaroos - and Murphy and his teammates celebrated like it was 10 New Year's Eves.
At that moment he was mainlining pure joy, his decision to lace up the boots again when he joined Kootingal-Moonbi in 2022 one of the wisest decisions of his life.
See Adam Murphy, see him soar.
"Basically lost the love for a lot of hobbies I did," he said of what he called the "dark place" he descended into. "Got myself together, and the boys dragged me out here [the Roosters]."
After playing for the Roosters' reserve-grade side under the mentorship of Luke Austin in 2022, Murphy said he "fell in love" with rugby league again.
Got myself together, and the boys dragged me out here.
Last year, he was elevated to first grade - and kept his spot this season.
Never before has the former West Lion played back-to-back top-grade seasons. At an age when many footballers exit the sport or slow down, Murphy has seemingly never been more motivated.
"I fell in love with it again," he said of footy.
Murphy was born in Moree, then moved to Coonamble to live with his grandmother and attend primary school. He was eight years old when he started playing rugby league, with the Coonamble Bears his first club.
When he was a teenager, he relocated to Tamworth to live with his mother, and there the former Peel High student has remained.
In 2016, he played under fellow former Lion Chris Vidler at the Quirindi Grasshoppers in the now-defunct second division. That was the last time he played football before joining Kooty.
It means a lot it. Proves size don't matter.
Recently, Murphy - who has a partner - hit 10 years of service at Teys, where he bones cattle. "Good hard yakka job, but I love it," he said.
Like receiving a wage for an honest day's work, Murphy's middle-forward role is a point of pride for him. At a mere 83 kilograms, he is among the competition's smallest props.
"It means a lot it," he said of holding his own against the big boppers. "Proves size don't matter."
It also proves that this man, who stared into the abyss, is the embodiment of never giving up.
See Adam Murphy, see him soar.