It's hard work playing in the NRL but for many of our stars it pales in significance to the times when they have had to do some 'real work'. These are the worst jobs they have ever had.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Panthers)

I've never had a job. This has been my first job, so probably being touch judge on the weekend! That was probably the worst job I've ever had.

Dale Copley (Titans)

I was mowing lawns when I was in 20s. That was fun, especially in pre-season. It was before I started uni straight out of school, mowing lawns was the gig. A trainer of the 20s owned a garden maintenance business and he used to get us young fellas for a bit of cheap labour. It was good fun doing that all day and then go and try and train.

David Fusitu'a (Warriors)

I have never had a proper job! I came straight out of school and into first grade. I did stocktake for my dad at his electrical company, but that was just for pocket money. Dad was good, pretty laid back and all his co-workers were real friendly.

Kevin Naiqama (Wests Tigers)

I was a baggage handler at Sydney Airport but I really loved that job. We had to carry our passport on us the whole time.

Valentine Holmes (Sharks)

When I was in 20s we either had to work or study so I did labouring for a couple of weeks and then quit, it was torture. I got lucky in the end because I started training full-time when I was 19 soon after.

Tyrone Peachey (Panthers)

I worked in a chemist. I used to vacuum and deliver medicine for $6 an hour in Cronulla. And I had to ride a bike for deliveries so it was manual labour. It was pretty brutal.

Malakai Watene-Zelezniak (Wests Tigers)

It would have to be when I was an office removalist. We had to work after office hours so we wouldn't stop until 4am most nights and there was so much heavy lifting. That was probably the toughest. It was just taxing but as a 16-year-old it was good money.

Matt Gillett (Broncos)

Red Rooster. I had to cook out the back and make the burgers.

Josh Mansour (Panthers)

It has to be labouring. You're just digging holes, trenches and it doesn't matter if it's raining, hailing or sunshine on your back, it's just the worst. I was a first-year apprentice back in my South Sydney days and there was no carpentry available so all that I could do was dig holes and work as a brickie labourer. It wasn't pleasant but I had to get the job done as a young kid to get as much money as I could.

Angus Crichton (Rabbitohs)

I went straight out of school and started training here so I haven't a proper job yet! Probably the closest thing I've had to a job as a kid was working for my dad on the farm. That can get pretty tough at times.

James Tedesco (Wests Tigers)

I did a bit of landscaping with my brother and stepped on a nail so that was it. I lasted one day and that was me done.

Trent Merrin (Panthers)

Probably working with my old man delivering concrete bags to hardware stores. I had to get up at 3am and deliver bags of cement to all the guys in the local area; it was a tough gig.

Nathan Peats (Titans)

Working with my dad. He's a builder and we used to punch on all the time. It wasn't healthy for our relationship. I got expelled from school so I had no choice but to work with Dad. We didn't see eye to eye all the time, I didn't like getting told what to do, but we're all good now. I had to do all the digging, all the lifting. It was a tough job but he was really good in that he used to always make me work hard for my money and taught me to save and that's helped me now in looking after my family.

George Burgess (Rabbitohs)

I suppose it was the best and the worst job that I had – I used to do a milk round from 2am to 7am. It was great because it got me very fit and gave me a good work ethic, but it also made me very tired so I was falling asleep in my last subject at school.

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