The Bench podcast: Dan Sarginson on his retirement and importance of mental health

Dan Sarginson joins Jenna Brooks and Jon Wilkin on The Bench this week to discuss his retirement from rugby league and the importance of mental health.

Sarginson played for Wigan Warriors over two separate spells in the Super League, as well as London Broncos and Salford Red Devils, where he finished his 12-year playing career as he announced his retirement in March.

On Mental Health Awareness Week, Sarginson discussed his career and the reasons behind his decision to retire. He also talked about the importance and understanding of mental health issues within the game, and how people may be suffering in silence.

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The 29-year-old said he started investigating his own mental health after the death of his younger brother in 2018.

"I was never honest with myself," he said. "You can do 10 years of therapy but if you're never honest with yourself, you're never going to get anywhere.

"It's about laying down that armour and saying, 'listen, I'm not a bad person, I've picked up some behaviours that aren't serving me anymore, they're not helping me to feel happy or move forward in life'.

"And it's hard to let go of something you've believed so heavily in for 26, 27 years."

Listen to the full interview with Dan Sarginson on the latest episode of The Bench with Jenna and Jon on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Spreaker. You can stream the 2023 Super League and NRL seasons on NOW TV.