“HE’S a completely different man to the one I first met.”

And with those words, Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary has anointed Russell Packer his new forward leader.

Indeed, Cleary was willing to pay $200,000 a season more than rival club St George Illawarra for the services of Packer.

It’s a monster deal that seemed near-impossible when Packer started drinking on the streets of New Zealand at the age of 12, and even more unlikely when he served a 12-month prison stint for stomping the head of a man in a brutal, alcohol-fuelled assault in 2013.

Fittingly though, it was in prison where Packer decided to turn his life around, quitting the drink and vowing to get educated.

Fast forward to 2017 and Packer is studying a commerce degree at the University of Wollongong. He recently received a Dean’s Award for his outstanding results.

Packer also spends time working with children with disabilities in the Wollongong area, has given up alcohol and taken self-improvement courses since being released from jail.

This transformation is why Cleary was so eager to get Packer to the Tigers as his forward leader.

“He’s got a great story, a story of hard knocks and coming out the other side, and that will resonate with lots of the boys here,” the Wests Tigers coach said.

“… It’s well documented, he’s had his setbacks. But I think he’s a completely different man to the one I first met and even the one I left at the Warriors.

“He’s really changed. He’d be the first to admit that he had to make some mistakes to get where he is now.

“He can actually be a real mentor for some of the young guys here. He knows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of things and he’s making up for it now.”

media_camera Russell Packer will join the Tigers next season.

Packer credits much of his transformation to education, which was made possible by the Graduates of League program.

“I’ve been studying at the University of Wollongong since 2015 and utilising the Graduates of League program, which has been of huge benefit to me and my studies,” Packer told the Illawarra Mercury.

“Studying while you’re playing, even though it’s hard to juggle, is good because of programs like Graduates of League that are available to you.

“It’s great opportunity for [players] who want to go to university, the resources there are unbelievable and if you don’t utilise them it’s kind of on you.

“Just having help, someone to talk to, it’s a great resource and hopefully all the boys that use the Graduates of League program fully take on board everything available to them.”

TAFE NSW’s Online Training and Education arm OTEN and SUPERCOACH NRL are partners for 2017.