CRAIG Garvey can’t recall if he was scrubbing the toilets, washing dirty dishes or putting bags of rubbish out when, tragically, a man died from a heart attack right before his eyes last week.
“I was doing my community service where I work at the kiosk at Wylies Baths, Coogee when it happened — it was terrible,’’ Garvey said. “We tried to help as much as we could.’’
Most 22-year-olds would find the shocking drama and tragedy of a life lost, all too confronting.
But then again, we have never heard the young St George Illawarra hooker’s own incredible story.
We never knew that at age four, young Garvey lived with his mum Rhonda, his greatest supporter, in a refuge in La Perouse.
We didn’t know his uncle overdosed on heroin, that his first cousin is in jail and another member of his family has been stabbed.
When Garvey runs out against Gold Coast Titans on Sunday, Dragons fans can cheer in the knowledge that this determined son of a truck driver is proud to declare that he might just be the only NRL player living in housing commission digs in Malabar, 50m from the perimeter fence of Long Bay jail.
Saints fans can cheer loudly in the comfort that at 6.15 each morning, a dedicated Garvey, whose younger brother Grant, 18, is also a rising star contracted with the Sydney Roosters, starts his car and drives the 150km round-trip to Wollongong for training.
St George Illawarra Dragons hooker Craig Garvey drives 800 Kilometres a week. Picture Gregg Porteous
By the time his taxing week of weights, skills, fitness and field sessions with the NRL squad is over, the former NSW Blues under-20s dummy-half, will have clocked 800km up and down Mt Ousley all because he wants to make good on a shot at redemption.
And then on his one day off from the Dragons, like he did on Friday, Garvey returns to the baths to chip away at the 150 hours remaining on the 300 hours of community service he has been ordered to undertake, after he was found guilty of an assault charge in February 2014.
“They’ve got a great bunch of people there (Wylies Baths), but standing up after a game for six or seven hours straight gets hard on the back, I get pretty stiff,’’ Garvey said.
“I get down sometimes, but then I remember it could be worse, I could be in jail or not playing rugby league.’’
Garvey grew up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
With his mother and father Mark momentarily separated, Garvey shifted between housing commission locations in Eastlakes, Matraville, La Perouse and then finally Malabar with his mother and younger brother and sister, Megan.
Mark — who lived in an Aboriginal mission in La Perouse — remained heavily involved in the upbringing of his children and wanting them to avoid falling into a life of violence, drugs and alcohol, young Craig and Grant, were involved in sport from a young age.
“My dad let me and my brother do whatever sport we wanted,’’ Garvey said.
“I did gymnastics, just because I had so much energy.
“I did karate, but I got in trouble and I had to do 100 push-ups on my knuckles.
“I also represented the state in athletics ... for walking.
Garvey didn’t begin playing rugby league until he was 11, with La Perouse who he played for until the under-17s.
His obvious skill with the footy in hand, sharp footwork and fearless defence was identified by talent scouts from the Dragons while playing with Earlwood Saints.
He was signed to the Dragons’ SG Ball side and then their under-20s National Youth squad in 2012.
He was then named captain of the St George Illawarra under-20s in 2013, the same year he ran out for the Blues against Queensland. His teammates that night were NRL rising stars David Klemmer, Luke Brooks, Michael Lichaa, Jake Trobojevic and Dylan Walker.
“But in my first run of the game, I suffered a syndesmosis injury,’’ Garvey said.
Garvey’s greatest setback was to come.
In February last year, the moment that Garvey’s parents had tried desperately to protect their sons from was upon them, when at a Wollongong bar he stood accused of repeatedly punching a 26-year-old man in the head.
He was found guilty of assault and was stood down for almost an entire year by the Dragons, finally returning to pre-season training in late December.
“I reacted in that one incident and it was a reaction born out of the environment I’ve grown up in,’’ Garvey said.
“That’s a massive thing I’ve learned from going through it all.
“When I went and did some counselling about it, it was what I’ve witnessed growing up which was the exact (violent) reaction I ended up using.
“At that split second I didn’t think.
Craig Garvey at his housing commission home in Malabar where he lives with his mum Rhonda. Picture: Toby Zerna
“You do all those NRL rookie camps and practise being in those situations, but until you’re in that situation it’s completely different.
“It’s a split second. You don’t get that time to think about all the courses you’ve done.
“With that one stuff-up I thought there it all goes, I’m just going to be one more of those blokes from where I’m from who could’ve made it but stuffed up.
“The thing was, I’ve never been one of those kids in trouble, I’ve always pushed harder so I can beat the ones in front of me.
“But I just thought ‘oh no, I’m going to be doing nothing like everyone else around here’.’’
This is the story Garvey now tells any high school student or teenager willing to listen.
“There’s always people that have a background that you don’t know about. Some people share it, some people don’t. I share mine. I’m proud of where I’m from.
“I’ve seen a lot of things growing up, a lot of things others haven’t. And I tell them (students) that because then they listen and realise that you can do a lot more than just get caught up in that stuff.
“I’m happy to say where I’m from because it’s made me who I am. Without that, I wouldn’t have the drive that I do.
Another reason Garvey — who has sworn off alcohol — jumps in his car each morning is so that he can cement a career in the NRL, hopefully with the Dragons.
Currently off-contract and on the minimum wage of about $80,000, the well-spoken, well-mannered 22-year-old, has held intermediate talks with Saints.
He wants to stay.
He feels he owes the club and in particular coach Paul McGregor gratitude for their support and for sticking by him.
Craig Garvey at his housing commission home in Malabar. Picture: Toby Zerna
But there’s also the drive to give back to his brave mum Rhonda something more than just the legal fees he’s already repaid her or the weekly board he offers.
“If I can get enough (money) to get her out of there (housing commission), I definitely will,’’ Garvey said.
“Even if I moved out on my own, she would definitely be in with me because I’ve been with her through the hardest times.
“I know she’d love to go to Scotland or Ireland, or Fiji — she’s always spoken to me about that. That would be good to be able to take her on a trip one day. Hopefully, Dad can go along as well.
“I get nervous every game I play because I know how hard I’ve worked and how long I’ve waited. I don’t want to lose that spot.
“I’ve been keeping count of how many games. I know this week is my 10th game coming up.
“I never thought I’d even play one, now I could get a chance to play in my first NRL finals.’’
