Tom Morris
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@tommorris32
2m2 minutes ago
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Premiership Dog Tom Boyd has retired. Wow. Further evidence that footy is a brutal game physically and mentally for players.
Sad if true, but he will always be our Grand Final hero.
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Tom Morris
Verified account
@tommorris32
2m2 minutes ago
More
Premiership Dog Tom Boyd has retired. Wow. Further evidence that footy is a brutal game physically and mentally for players.
Sad if true, but he will always be our Grand Final hero.
Tom Boyd announces AFL retirement
May 16, 2019 2:15PM
Boyd delivers on biggest stage
Re-live the moment where Tom Boyd confirmed the Dogs would win their second flag!
Leaving the game as a premiership player is something I will always be proud of, along with all the enduring relationships I have forged and the memories I have created along the way.
Tom Boyd
The physical and emotional toll of AFL football has led Tom Boyd to the decision to immediately retire from the game.
Boyd, 23, has decided to finish his time at AFL level as a premiership player who recorded 61 games and kicked 50 goals with the GWS Giants and the Bulldogs.
“My decision to retire now is a reflection of issues I’ve had over the past five years both with physical injury and with mental health, and they have now accumulated to a point where I just don’t have the desire to play or the enjoyment of the game I used to have,” Boyd said.
“I’ve spoken with key people at the Western Bulldogs and my close friends and family, and I am satisfied that this is the right decision for my future. I approached the Club about my desire to retire and be released from my contract this week, and we have worked out a mutually agreeable position.
“I’m grateful to both to the Giants and the Bulldogs for allowing me the opportunity to experience playing football at the highest level.
“I have received unbelievable support from the players, coaches and staff at the Western Bulldogs, particularly over the last couple of years, which I will always appreciate.
“Leaving the game as a premiership player is something I will always be proud of, along with all the enduring relationships I have forged and the memories I have created along the way.”
Tom and his manager Liam Pickering met with the Club this morning and reached a friendly resolution of all contractual matters. That resolution included that Tom’s payment in 2019 be reduced and that payments previously agreed for 2020 and 2021 be cancelled.
“We worked very hard to bring Tom to the football club at the end of 2014, and he has been a great contributor to the Bulldogs for over four years,” said Bulldogs Director of Football, Chris Grant.
“Everyone at the Bulldogs is saddened to hear of Tom’s decision to retire, given he is a much-loved and respected person around the Club.
“Over the last few years we have worked very closely with Tom and his family to support him through a difficult period, and we will continue to offer that support as he enters the next phase of his life.
“We will not forget the role he played on the field, especially in the 2016 finals series when he showed the football world what he was capable of, on the biggest stage possible.
“We will miss Tom’s influence at the Bulldogs, and he and his family will always be welcome at the Club.”
Takes a proportion of this year's contract and walks away from his last 2 years.
The media should take a great deal of the heat for this situation. Naturally they won't as they are above the standards they demand of others.
Sad, but probably the right decision for him rather than keep struggling. I'll never forget that glorious post-goal run with Toby clinging to his back in the Grand Final -- such a joyous image.
Sadly I'm not surprised. I don't think he's looked interested for some time and clearly his mind is elsewhere. It's a good move for him, he probably loses those big dollars but there is more to life than money so it's a great decision for him to leave it all behind. I truely hope he find his way in life. All the best Tom!
Gutted - really wanted him to make it.
Feel for him and hope he can be at peace away from footy.
A real shame but forever grateful, Tom.
Wtf!
Don't think anyone saw that coming. Go well, Tom
On some levels it is incredibly sad. All of the reasons for that - the pressure, his mental illness and his injury issues all speak for themselves.
On another level, I guess the silver lining, is that it is probably an incredible weight off his shoulders. He comes across as an intelligent young man, who will have the capacity to have a good career elsewhere - and obviously leaves the game well set up financially.
Part of me feels relieved for him. As a supporter, I felt anxious for him every time he played, for every contest he was in, that he would hold his own to some extent and get some positive momentum in his career.
The fact he's sacrificing such huge coin and has been so honest with the club adds to my sympathies for him, but he will always be a Bullgod and the argument over whether he should have won the Normie will never cease.
So do we have heaps of cash now or was he front loaded?
The retirement is nearly as big a shock as the recruitment was...
All the best to the big fella.
Bringing him to the club was a watershed moment & culminated in the greatest game of our lives. Now he does the right thing by the club and himself to move on and allows everyone focus on more important things.
Is it possible to feel shocked but unsurprised?
We'll continue to die wondering if he could ever be that key forward.
Achieved plenty compared to most mortals. Go well young man.
This might not be the thread for it but the salary cap implications could be huge. The numbers were never straight forward on this deal but you’d imagine we’ve now freed up quite a bit of cash.
This makes the Naughton acquisition all the more crucial. I wonder if we had some foresight in this. Adams leaving and Tom's future uncertain.
I think everyone is sensible enough to understand that we all feel incredibly sad for Tom and wish him the best - and can talk about the sad side of it, and the practical side of it in the same thread.
But yes, on the practical side, him coming to the club and as part of retiring, giving up the 2020 and 2021 $'s - it frees up space to get in a very good player. I had heard that in 2016 his wage was up in the high $1m's - so 20/21 might only be 600-800K per year - but still really significant.
I will always be grateful for his contribution on grand final day. I remember when he kicked the center square goal and being so happy that it was he that scored it and would hopefully silence his critics from that day fourth. He just couldn't get a clean run at it with due to his body and other factors at play. But mostly, I am glad that he chose us and filled us with hope and optimism. At a time of desperation when the situation was bleak he elected to come to a team without a coach that was predicted by all (me included) to be a bottom four club and a rabble. All the best in life. I look forward to hearing about your success in all your future endeavors.
Massive news and I wish him all the best.
He made a significant contribution to us particularly in 2016 and that won't be forgotten by me.
Hopefully Tom can sort him self out. Massive decision for him to give it all away.
Thank you Tom for that one day in September, we will never forget it and never forget you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyh4GH9wbNA
Leaves us a ruck short. Maybe his decision has something to do with the mid season draft coming up
At 23, it’s not too late for him to have a break for a year or two and give it another crack either if that’s what he wants.
Must target a Ruck
Thanks to Tom for his service. Had people actively hoping for his demise and for that brief moment he made them all look very foolish. His contribution to the club in a short time was as much as you could have asked for. Always has seemed like, more than anything, a great person. Sometimes that doesn't gel well with being a great footballer. I wish him all the best and hope this decision is the best for his future and allows him to find happiness in other parts of life.
Tom's physical and mental health is far more important that chasing around a football and being constantly scrutinised and criticized by mainstream media filth and low life trolls on social media.
Good luck Tom - you will be a BullGod hero forever for being a massive part of the 2016 Premiership team.
Gee whiz. The writing was on the wall I guess. Fair thee well Tom life is more important than football.
What a time to deliver his career best. Worth every cent.
I wish him nothing but the best
His career is a snapshot of the modern game - a ludicrously overhyped key forward prospect drafted to a startup franchise (they werent even a club) - to play for a team and in a town he never wanted to play for, and probably had legit mental health reasons for not wanting to right from the start.
We were criticised for trading for him - when losing our captain/best midfielder - when really, we couldn't just accept the Giants 6th best midfielder in return.
He put it all aside to do enough in the ruck in a prelim when Roughy went down and then produce a brilliant grand final to win the finest premiership football has ever seen. I didnt want to acknowledge my inner voices when he kicked that left foot snap in the second quarter - but my brain spoke to me and it said you dont lose grand finals when Tom Boyd is kicking goals like that.
The media hounded him, and us - for our paying of an untried prospect - even though it worked and delivered the mythical cup - they continued to hound and he retreated once more and lost his desire to play the game. And now they will say how sad it is and repeat the cycle. He was never anything more than news to them.
Even some of the calls on SEN so far have been appalling.
One peanut rang up to say that Tom Boyd retired because he must have released the AFL rigged the 2016 grand final and gave the dogs all the free kicks....and Andy Maher cut him off and gave him a spray. But this is the sort of nonsense that is out there.
I would love someone to give Leigh Matthews a spray.
Flashback to Bevo slams 'disgraceful' Boyd inference
How ya feeling now, Purple? Worth it for the clicks?
Some of our players didn't help either with Stringer bullying him, Dahl calling him the million dollar man when he walked into the rooms. No respect for those blokes.
Another immortal:p goes. Hopefully this will help relieve the pressure and Tom can get in with living his best life.