A former National Rugby League star recently recounted an unexpected encounter with masked intruders in the dead of night, during which he bravely chased them away while clad only in his underwear.

Ex-Broncos winger David Mead took to social media to post CCTV footage capturing the incident, which occurred around 2 a.m. on Tuesday at his family’s residence in Brisbane.

Speaking to the Today show, Mead explained that he, his wife Taneal, and their two children, aged 10 and 6, were sound asleep when they were disturbed by unusual noises.

“Instincts just kicked in, and I reacted immediately,” he remarked. “I bumped into a pot plant, got up, and darted around the corner.”

Mead continued, “Once outside, I heard a car speeding off to my left, so I figured they were involved. I ran after them, only to see a second car speeding away right behind the first.”

“That’s when it hit me that our home had been truly invaded, and as the adrenaline started to wear off, reality set in,” he concluded.

The footage shows two masked intruders examining the house before opening the front door.

The pair were able to unlock the front door through a slat window.

But the would-be criminals made a dash for it when they heard Mead, 37, running to the door.

The former NRL player urged young people to stay clear of joining criminal gangs.

“You might look good in front of your mates, you think you’re climbing the ranks, but if you apply yourself in sport, education, or you know, some form of business, you’ve already got a good set of skills.”

NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.