Tom Boyd retires

[_M_16_]

I dont get it. On the radio they're saying that its due to mental health issues. Has anxiety due to all the weight of expectation and he struggles to cope with social media bullies. How can any reasonable person believe this?

Weight of expectation? No one put a gun to his head and asked him to go to the bulldogs for 1mill a season. Having done that hes actually fulfilled the ******* expectation already by winning the dogs a damn flag!!!! Ask any dog if he was worth it? **** yes! Hes done what he was paid to do. Jesus Christ. For 99% of public out there is no more bloody expectation.

And this social media bs that all these wimps keep crying about, you have a damn choice to look or not to. Players from decades ago pre internet dealt with way worse abuse. It was in person, at the grounds and to their faces. There was no avoiding it. These days no one is allowed to say these things in public. The ones that say it online, current players can just switch off social media. Presto. ******* no issue. If you want to be on social media set it to ******* private. The problem with modern players is they want to see what everyone is saying about them. Love the ego boost. So theyll go looking, reading articles comments on everything and suddenly theyre surprised, angry and hurt to find negative stuff? Pls mate. No ******* sympathy here. Log off nitwit.

I wish he just came straight out and said. That's it, im done, achieved what i wanted. Not motivated anymore. Giving up the last years of the contract because i cannot fulfil my end. Ive made enough from the club and now im looking for new challenges. Not this mental health stuff. Because its crap.

Anyway i want to congratulate Tom on a short but pretty damn good career. You didnt let the fans down, achieved the ultimate prize and more than fulfilled any expectation. Good luck.

Totally different era. Players back then didn't have it in their face 24/7. They could go about their lives no differently to the regular joe. Yeah they copped crap on game day, no different to today. But it didn't follow them into their households, or into their every day lives

The difference is todays players have to act like restricted robots, because of the age of internet and technology. They cannot even have a private facebook page, or Instagram page, or whatever else they do, without some idiot feeling obliged to send them private messages of abuse, or tag them in everything. Given social media is a way that most people connects with friends and family these days, they might as well become hermits and isolated from everyone, that's the only way to avoid it all. It wasn't all in your face in the past, its sure is much more in your face today.

Maybe the onus should be on trolls not to be w***ers and getting off on being f wits because their lives are so s**t themselves, instead of blaming Boyd or dismissing mental health as a cop out. Mental health issues are real, if you want to call BS on it, maybe have a go at those AFL players faking mental health issues to get out of drug tests instead of potting those with genuine issues. He has struggled with mental health since he was a teenager.

 

[_M_16_]

Lets hope they use the cash to get some KPP and not more mids

Our midfield is probably the best grunt midfield in the league. But we are a team with a lot of accumulators, who are serial ball butchers, don't kick enough goals and not damaging. A KPP player on both end we need, but we do need more pace and class in the middle, so wouldn't say no to throwing money at a genuine A grader if one comes about.

 

[_M_16_]

AFL 2019: Tom Boyd’s ‘prophetic’ moment as a potential No. 1 draft pick

Pretty interesting if true. Means he has always struggled with mental health and has never got to truly enjoy footy, even back in his teenage playing days. Anyone who says they see school as an escape from footy (everyone hates school), shows how much of the fun was missing from it.

 

[PorcelainBus]

Very sad to see Wish him all the best - he has a premiership medal and not many achieve that.

 

[Shane_Mag]

For a short career it was a memorable one. All the best for him for the future.

 

[Shadow89]

Given that there won't be salary cap implications, this looks like it's a good outcome for all concerned. Dogs got a flag out of it, Boyd gets to move forward with his life, and Dogs end up with 1 MIL PA to throw around. Can see them being big players in this years trade period, given the young talent they have on their list. Also gives them the ability to retain players like Hunter, Bont, Macrae, Naughton, Dunkley, Richards etc.

Mental health is no joke, and you can tell that it has taken a severe toll, with him making this decision. As other posters have said, I hope he finds what he's looking for in life

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

Despite everything, I always thought that Boyd was a gutsy trade from WB who had struggled (excluding an old Hall) for KPFs since Grant. It was the type of trade that I had always wished West Coast had the balls to make for up-and-coming superstars.

Ultimately, he helped them achieve a premiership by playing the best AFL football of his career in the two most important games of his career. It's a shame that he wasn't able to reproduce that afterwards.

He will, despite my best wishes for a Sydney premiership (or rather, a lack of Bulldogs premierships), be a Western Bulldogs legend and he deserves to be remembered as such.

ManOfClay, one of the few things that I am willing to concede about the Bulldogs.

He helped them win a flag and got a fair pay day.

That doesn't stop depression sadly.

Sometimes the weight of expectation can be difficult. Hopefully he can sort things out and either realise his potential in the future, or get well.

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

I find it hard to believe everyone is just taking this on face value. As if he walked away from 2 million dollars without some pushing or prodding from the club. That's a lot of money to pay someone who can't get on the field.

Why do so many players struggle with their mental health? Do players use mental health to escape criticism for other possible activities they may be involved in? These are genuine questions that should be asked.

Being good at sport doesn't provide protection from mental health problems.

 

[Gypsy King]

The Boyd deal was a disaster and luckily for the bullies that the kid is letting them off the hook. Boyd saw a good deal and seized the opportunity, he was well within his right to see the contract out - even if it meant playing twos (which has mostly been his level throughout his career and that is no disservice to him). The kid is obviously suffering and I hope he made enough from football to now live a happier life. Football is only a game after all. Good luck to Tom.

 

[mxett]

Economics and upbringing makes people more prone too.

But AFL players have lots of support, lots of money, and mostly all went to private school.

One of the biggest factors for professional athletes I believe is excessive self judgment such as comparing yourself to others. In fact imposter syndrome, where people constantly judge and compare themselves to others, and doubt their own achievements and worth, can be an issue even for highly successful people. I'm not sure this applies to Boyd but it cant have helped his mental state being number 1 draft then contracte on a highly inflated price before he actually developed into the type of player who warranted such a contract.

Lots of money and a privileged upbringing doesn't mean you are less likely to suffer mental illness. In fact being raised in an environment where expectations are high and your self worth may be based on your success could be more difficult. Having better access to support and care would help, but some people dont respond as well to treatment until their 'stressor' is removed. If the pressures of AFL football were Tom's stressor then stepping away is his chance to heal.

 

[Knox Harrington]

Not sure how the deal was a disaster. The bulldogs had one flag. Now they have two. He delivered and plenty other big recruits didn't eg buddy, danger, Judd etc.

Good on him for getting out. He's made his money, and he seemed like a reluctant player.
I wouldn't put up with all the nonsense. Social media is to blame but so are all these garbage footy journalists putting pressure on everyone. They're not happy unless a coach or two is going to get the sack and a star player or two isnt performing that they can put under the microscope.
He's 23 made a few million so assume he's paid off his house and got an investment or two. I'd walk away too.

As contracts rise expect more of this.

 

[gavaniacono]

Very sad to hear this news. The bottomless pit of depression with no obvious way out is indeed a reality, a profound physical experience. Hope he can get better. Great memories of the 2016 GF, stirring stuff and THAT goal!

 

[Johnny Karate]

I hope he is able to overcome his mental health issues by stepping away from the limelight.

There’s plenty for him to look forward to, he effectively won the lottery via his pay packet and goes down in history as a huge contributor to a historic premiership.

At 23, with money in the bank and hopefully some good people around him, he can do anything he wants. Lucky bastard.

 

[hoianbulldog]

what do you mean by “ex bulldog players would be nervous waiting to watch that interview”?
Is there a back story behind this?

Strong rumours that a couple of players went hard with bullying of Tom. Poo poo in his locker is the most disturbing one i have heard.

Players have gone elsewhere now, or the main culprits have.

 

[Elite Master]

Looks to be the best outcome for all parties involved.

He was worth every cent for arguably the best Grand Final performance ever.

Let's not go overboard. If it was anywhere near the best Grand Final performance ever he'd have easily won the norm Smith.

 

[Harris Specter]

big troll on Lions board - ignore

Haha speaking about yourself?

 

[Coaster2012]

Everyone has anxiety in certain areas of life . It’s a natural and developmental. To say you can’t help something because you suffer from mental illness is counterproductive. It takes focus off the actual causes and absolves people of accountability for facing what is really going on. Not saying people don’t go through ****, cause they do, but we shouldn’t just say they can’t help it.

Sure, on some level you need to take responsibility to get through the condition and I'm sure Boyd has and is going to therapy regularly, it would be odd if he wasn't. I also assume he is already doing the things that most people say to do, eating healthy, exercising, mindfulness, since he is already a professional athlete at the highest level. But this isn't natural anxiety. Imagine the feeling of about to speak to 1000 people on stage and moments before you go up there you realize you have memorized the wrong speech. Now have that feeling all day, all night, uninterrupted, for no reason you can locate consciously. That is anxiety. And that anxiety can be inflamed for reasons that make no sense to you. I suffered from anxiety for a few months after a stupid night of partying and taking s**t I shouldn't have. My anxiety could be inflamed for things like the sun suddenly going behind the cloud, or the tv commercial being too bright, or a dog barking in the distance. Stupid things that make no sense and are bigger than me just saying "oh forget about that."

That kind of anxiety isn't natural and not developmental at all. It's just a sickness.

 

[Mofra]

Sure, on some level you need to take responsibility to get through the condition and I'm sure Boyd has and is going to therapy regularly, it would be odd if he wasn't. I also assume he is already doing the things that most people say to do, eating healthy, exercising, mindfulness, since he is already a professional athlete at the highest level. But this isn't natural anxiety. Imagine the feeling of about to speak to 1000 people on stage and moments before you go up there you realize you have memorized the wrong speech. Now have that feeling all day, all night, uninterrupted, for no reason you can locate consciously. That is anxiety. And that anxiety can be inflamed for reasons that make no sense to you. I suffered from anxiety for a few months after a stupid night of partying and taking **** I shouldn't have. My anxiety could be inflamed for things like the sun suddenly going behind the cloud, or the tv commercial being too bright, or a dog barking in the distance. Stupid things that make no sense and are bigger than me just saying "oh forget about that."

Tom's been pretty open about his struggles. He has times where he had to pull over while he was driving because is anxiety affected his breathing. Given his comments pre-draft (school is a refuge away from football) this is something he's been dealing with for a long time.

 

[mxett]

“At the end of 2016 we thought the footy world was Tom’s oyster and we didn’t see the black dog [of depression] creep up on him.
“But since then he’s had some real struggles,” he told reporters as his voice wavered in an emotional press conference.

Beveridge said it was hard for people to understand the physical impact of depression and anxiety.

“It affects your sleep patterns, your diet, your ability to just cope with the small things in life, let alone play AFL football.”


He lashed out at the media for the scrutiny over Boyd’s seven-year contract and $1 million-per-year salary, with a particular reference one journalist, who he chose not to name.

“That will never be forgiven by anyone at our football club. That’s a choice that a certain journalist might make and it’s a window into that person’s soul and how black that soul is.”


Meanwhile, speaking on ABC radio, Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon praised Boyd as a “talented man” and said “unforgiving” social media had undoubtedly played a role in Boyd’s deteriorating mental health.

“The anonymous trolls who have the freedom from their darkened rooms sending of their acrimony of the whole thing," Gordon said.
“You know not to read it but you know it’s going on.
“They certainly got to me about him. I have taken the critique of Tom pretty personally.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...cts-on-boyd-s-retirement-20190517-p51oco.html

 

[Sentinel]

“At the end of 2016 we thought the footy world was Tom’s oyster and we didn’t see the black dog [of depression] creep up on him.
“But since then he’s had some real struggles,” he told reporters as his voice wavered in an emotional press conference.

Beveridge said it was hard for people to understand the physical impact of depression and anxiety.

“It affects your sleep patterns, your diet, your ability to just cope with the small things in life, let alone play AFL football.”


He lashed out at the media for the scrutiny over Boyd’s seven-year contract and $1 million-per-year salary, with a particular reference one journalist, who he chose not to name.

“That will never be forgiven by anyone at our football club. That’s a choice that a certain journalist might make and it’s a window into that person’s soul and how black that soul is.”


Meanwhile, speaking on ABC radio, Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon praised Boyd as a “talented man” and said “unforgiving” social media had undoubtedly played a role in Boyd’s deteriorating mental health.

“The anonymous trolls who have the freedom from their darkened rooms sending of their acrimony of the whole thing," Gordon said.
“You know not to read it but you know it’s going on.
“They certainly got to me about him. I have taken the critique of Tom pretty personally.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...cts-on-boyd-s-retirement-20190517-p51oco.html

In case anyone wasn't sure who that 'certain journalist' was, he was calling out Damian Barrett for being the muckraking slimy turd that he is.

 

[iBeng]

In case anyone wasn't sure, he was calling out Damian Barrett for being the muckraking slimy turd that he is.

Yeah wasnt hard to guess.

 

[Ian Dunross]

What did Barrett write about Boyd?

 

[Ant_]

What did Barrett write about Boyd?

This was the one that upset Beveridge the most. This was after Boyd had come public about his depression

 

[Sentinel]

What did Barrett write about Boyd?

This sort of stuff: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/af...k/news-story/fc50c0ed92dda56fc7bb117ef6823695

 

[The Gong]

Gutsy call for him to prioritise his mental health over fame and fortune and for that he has my respect. I watched his interview about his struggles and he's an intelligent and eloquent young man.

Retires with a flag which many don't get the joy of experiencing. Best of luck to him for the future.