"Sad story": The tragic fall of a Parramatta Eels star is told.
Laurie Daley was shocked to hear about a former Parramatta player's shocking downward spiral in life.
The news that former Parramatta star Paul Taylor is now homeless shocked rugby league legend Laurie Daley.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that when his life was at its worst, the Eels fullback lived on the streets.
The 63-year-old was part of the Eels' famous 1980s teams and played in five grand finals. He also played in the club's last Grand Final win, in 1986.
Taylor was very close with his teammates, but it is said that he didn't tell any of them about the terrible things that were happening in his life.
Dean Ritchie of the Daily Telegraph told Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday morning: Before he changed his life, Taylor lived in public parks and begged for money on the streets of the Brisbane CBD.
Ritchie said that Taylor ate $1 hashbrowns from McDonald's and tea bags that he had stolen to stay alive.
Taylor says in the report, "What happened was terrible, and I didn't see it coming." You spend almost all day sitting in the park. I wore the same clothes for probably a whole week."
After he stopped playing football in 1990 and lost his job in Sydney, he moved to Brisbane so he could be closer to his son Jamie. This was the start of his downward spiral.
He was able to change his life, and now he lives on Main Beach on the Gold Coast and runs his own landscaping business.
Ritchie said, "It's a beautiful end to a very sad time in Paul Taylor's life."
He had earlier said, "Paul has told us today how his money and personal life went downhill." He moved to Queensland to be closer to his son Jamie, but his life fell apart, and he ended up living on the streets.
On his morning radio show, Daley said, "It's a sad story. You just feel helpless that you didn't know what was going on in his life." And I'm sure a lot of the people he played with at Parramatta didn't know what was going on. It looks like he's back on his feet and moving again."