Former National Rugby League (NRL) player Kane Evans has publicly come out as gay, becoming only the second male player in Australian professional rugby league history to do so. The 34-year-old former prop forward, who played for the Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels, New Zealand Warriors, and English club Hull FC, said he feels a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.
Emotional Revelation
In an emotional interview with Channel Nine's 100% Footy, Evans revealed his struggles with addiction, suicidal thoughts, and homelessness as he grappled with his sexuality. "I had three goals in life: to play NRL, to buy my parents a house, and then I wanted to top myself, because I was living in denial from a young age," Evans said. "I know that I'm gay. But I went down every other avenue to build up these walls, to be someone, to escape who I am."
Support from Former Players and Coaches
Evans credited former premiership player Joe Galuvao, now with the Rugby League Players Association's past players and transition program, for helping turn his life around. "Joe said, 'you deserve to live a good life and you deserve healing,'" Evans recalled. "I sat there and thought about what a good life or healing was. When he said that, I started questioning whether death isn't in the plan for me yet. Maybe I do deserve to go and get help."
Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson, who gave Evans his NRL debut in 2014, also provided crucial support. Robinson invited Evans to Roosters headquarters after he completed rehabilitation and helped pay his rent. "He called me to let me know that the Roosters are still my home and they've got my back," Evans said. "Robbo, out of his own money, paid four weeks of my rent as I had just gotten into a place that week."
Impact on Rugby League and LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Ben Cork, national manager for Pride in Sport, celebrated Evans' courage. "There's strength in coming out on your own terms, but this moment shows how sport can be the catalyst for that change," Cork said. "Visibility still matters for young players watching; it shows there's a place for everyone in the game. This isn't just about one athlete; it's about how moments like this shape the future of sport itself."
Evans becomes the first men's professional rugby league player to come out since Ian Roberts in 1995. Roberts told the Daily Telegraph he was "so proud" of Evans and was in tears watching his interview. "Everything he was saying... I thought 'this poor kid,' I know exactly where he is in his head, what he is going through, the extremes of uncertainty of your own sense of self and your sense of other people," Roberts said.
Personal Journey and Sobriety
Evans celebrated four months of sobriety in May and hopes his story will encourage others to live truthfully. "I've carried [hiding my sexuality] around my whole life," he said. "I'm here today to show people that you don't have to live like that. Even now I feel a bit more free, just by saying it out loud, I've brought it to the light. I feel peace within, and I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders. I'm a bit proud of myself, and when I look in the mirror, I'm going to smile now, not have those bad thoughts."
Evans made his NRL debut with the Roosters in 2014, playing 74 games before joining Parramatta in 2018. He also played for the Warriors in 2021 and finished his career with Hull FC in 2023, and represented Fiji in 13 international matches.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In Australia, contact Lifeline at 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at 116 123. In the US, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
