Case study
Dave ‘Wolfman’ Williams
Former Rugby League Star,
ZERO600 Ambassador
overview
Dave ‘Wolfman’ Williams is a Former Rugby League winger, playing more than 100 games for the Manly Sea Eagles. During his 8 years in the NRL, he became a fan favourite, representing both NSW and Australia and winning a premiership.
In 2023, he signed up for ZERO600, and is now the Civilian ambassador for the fundraiser which helps Invictus Australia strengthen the lives of veterans and their families through sport.
Image credit: Sky Sports
challenge
In 2011, Wolfman broke his neck, causing him to miss his team’s 2011 premiership win and further injuries eventually curtailed his career.
“It’s a kick in the guts. You feel like you’ve got more to give but your body is saying no, and the decision is taken away from you,” Dave said.
SPORT
It was through his injuries that Dave discovered adaptive sports. He was inspired by the idea that he could still encorporate physical activity, a key part of his life thus far, into his new daily routine.
“I was lost, and adapting sport and exercises meant I could still train, feel strong and capable. It really helped get my head back in the game.”
Dave’s belief in the power of sport for recovery shines through in his new career as a Fitness Coach with a focus on rehabilitation, sport-specific training, workplaces wellbeing and kids fitness.
ZERO600
While Dave does not want others to think he is comparing his footy career to “the incredible job and tough choices our military personnel make,” he now can understand, to extent, how it feels when a monumental chapter of one’s life ends before they are ready for it to.
I’m not comparing my footy career to the incredible job and tough choices our military personnel make, but I guess I can understand a bit about how they feel when a chapter ends.
Dave also comes from a family of first responders, which provides him an insight into the impacts of service, and how sport and the connection and the camaraderie it provides, can have positive outcomes on mental health.
It is for these reasons that ‘Wolfman’ signed up to take part in the ZERO600 fundraiser, even providing daily workouts to inspire the community.
He is now the Civilian ambassador for ZERO600, encouraging others to take up the challenge each year, in June, and rise beside Australia’s military heroes.
