Footy icon Phil Gould has NEVER spoken about his family during his 50 years in the game - until a huge shock finally got him to open up

In a uncommon moment, Phil Gould, 1 of footy's astir backstage and salient figures, opened up astir his household during a astonishment enactment to observe his 50th twelvemonth successful rugby league.

The star-studded meal was organised by Canterbury Bulldogs president Adam Driussi, who managed to assemble immoderate of Gould's closest companions successful the game.

Paul Vautin, Andrew Voss, Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley, Cameron Ciraldo, Cameron George were among the galore who showed up for 'Gus'.

'I don't adjacent privation a funeral,' an overwhelmed Gould told Sydney Morning Herald.

'I've ne'er adjacent had a day ... this is for different people, radical I look up to, radical I enactment with, not me.'

Gould, who ne'er talks astir his family, besides had his wife, June, and 2 of his 3 kids astatine the event. 

'Family is everything,' Gould said.

'I've ever managed to support enactment distant from a family. I've separated the two, and I've ne'er truly got them progressive with it, and I've ne'er taken the rugby league issues location astatine immoderate time.

'And, you know, we don't person newspapers successful the location – though I deliberation my missus sneaks retired and reads them.

'I felt arsenic though I wanted to support them from a batch of what we spell done successful the game, and conscionable spell retired and enactment and gain a surviving and look aft them. 

'That's what I've been motivated by. That's however I've ever been.'

Gould's begetter passed distant 9 years ago at the property of 82 aft battling dementia for 10 years. The footy supremo mentioned him precocious hitting aft troll connected societal media who referenced him successful a crude manner.

Gould's had an bonzer travel successful rugby league going from subordinate to coach, and past becoming a commentator and administrator.

He has organised a meticulous rebuild of the Bulldogs successful caller years, transforming them from struggling outfit to superior premiership contenders.

Gould joked that the lone idiosyncratic helium wasn't blessed to spot astatine the relation was 'Fatty' Vautin, 'who bushed maine 3-0 astatine Origin.'

Vautin, who retired from commentary past year, spoke of the respect helium had for Gould.

'To beryllium successful his institution for 20 minutes, fractional an hr is 1 of the top things you'll ever spell done successful life,' Vautin told Nine.

When questioned why, Vautin replied: 'Because he's truthful intelligent, he's truthful intelligent. Some radical person said helium really should beryllium moving the game'.