Tom Boyd to take leave of absence

[bornadog]

Seems it's been an ongoing issue that he's been managing:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/western...05-gx54yh.html

Listening to radio and reading papers etc, media still carrying on about the guys salary. FFS, who cares what he is paid, but no, these dick heads have to keep banging on about it. They shut their stupid mouths about his salary after the premiership, but now they are back into it again.

I for one don't care what the players are paid, as long as they play well and stick with the club.

[Rocket Science]

Groggo's appalling(ly prediactable) take on this last night was that the meeja aren't the culpable ones for fomenting the relentless scrutiny this young bloke's copped.

The true culprits, I learned with great interest, are Gordo, the club, his manager and bizarrely, Andrew Demetriou, adding: "If Luke (Beveridge) didn't bring this up. We wouldn't be talking about it now."

Stand back and it's not hard to see the steam rising off this one.

[The Pie Man]

Groggo's appalling(ly prediactable) take on this last night was that the meeja aren't the culpable ones for fomenting the relentless scrutiny this young bloke's copped.

The true culprits, I learned with great interest, are Gordo, the club, his manager and bizarrely, Andrew Demetriou, adding: "If Luke (Beveridge) didn't bring this up. We wouldn't be talking about it now."

Stand back and it's not hard to see the steam rising off this one.

Nathan Buckley : 'and that mistrust is borne out of who you allow at the pinnacle of your media'

[craigsahibee]

I just hope that Tom and the Club take as long as they need to get him through this, which I'm sure they will.

If he doesn't play another game for us, it doesn't matter. He owes us nothing. All that matters is that Tom gets himself right and gives himself the best possible chance of leading a happy and fruitful life. As a kid that has grown up playing sport, being involved in an all encompassing club environment might be the best thing for him, and I know our club is that. Do what you need to do Tom. You will always be welcome into our family. #realstrength

[AndrewP6]

Groggo's appalling(ly prediactable) take on this last night was that the meeja aren't the culpable ones for fomenting the relentless scrutiny this young bloke's copped.

The true culprits, I learned with great interest, are Gordo, the club, his manager and bizarrely, Andrew Demetriou, adding: "If Luke (Beveridge) didn't bring this up. We wouldn't be talking about it now."

Stand back and it's not hard to see the steam rising off this one.

Read his article in today's paper. The guy won't be happy until something terrible happens to one of these players - then at least he would have something to write about.

Flog is too good a word for slime like Robbo.

[Insufficient Intent]

Nathan Buckley : 'and that mistrust is borne out of who you allow at the pinnacle of your media'

Stand back and it's not hard to see the steam rising off this one.

Succinct comments indeed, hitting the nail on the head. Rebarbative Robbo; every night and without fail, he's making 360 unwatchable. The Environment Protection Authority should do something about him.

On a positive note, It's great to see so many genuinely supportive and understanding messages about or to Tom, all from a slightly different viewpoint. Maybe a Tweeter could send him a link to this thread; apart from the support from those close to him that he must already be receiving, there's proof here that the whole Doggy Community is behind him. We all wish you a speedy recovery, Tom, first and foremost.

[hujsh]

Best case scenario is he takes the time he needs to get right mentally and in doing so finds himself in great shape for a full pre-season.

If he doesn't play again this year then so be it. I'd be happy to see him ready round 1 next year.

[GVGjr]

Seems it's been an ongoing issue that he's been managing:

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/western...05-gx54yh.html

You would hope that Liam Pickering who brokered the deal is getting right behind Tom.
I'm sure he is but it could be a good lesson for player agents to learn so that they don't turn up the media focus on young players like Boyd.

I wish Boyd all the best.

[choconmientay]

All the best to Tom. Hopefully he will be back soon and can just enjoy playing football with a bunch of mates.

I found this article worth a read, not sure where it fit. I post in this thread as it's aa article related to what some of the players are going through.

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TheRoar - The black dog and the red ball by Sean Woodland

I’d take a punch to the head from Tom Bugg or Ali Fahour any day before ever having depression again. In 47 years of life I’m yet to have experienced anything worse.

In the wake of Tom Boyd taking indefinite leave from the game, the AFL might need to have a good look at the demands on current players.

Perhaps it is only a microcosm of society, though the best-case scenario is that players feel more comfortable divulging the uncomfortable truth.

Either way, Boyd’s tale is becoming all too familiar and it’s an area where the AFL can genuinely help society. Their example is being set by employees like Boyd.

I played football, accompanied by an undiagnosed bipolar disorder until I was thirty. My last game was a premiership victory.

After the final siren I started bawling my eyes out. Almost immediately I realised that I wasn’t blubbering because we’d won, but because I knew that winning had changed nothing.

On a day meant for joy and celebration I only discovered how sad and sick I was. Worse, in that tragic, false-masculine manner I tried to fight it, so remained untreated for a further decade.

Depression is a disease of the soul as much as it is an illness of the brain. It doesn’t discriminate. If you’ve got it, you’ve got it.

No matter what you may think of Garry Lyon and James Hird’s life choices, or Buddy Franklin, Alex Fasolo, Travis Cloke or Tom Boyd as people or footballers, they have all either lived, or are living through a hell you wouldn’t want to live through.

For those that are fighting it, depression can remove the will to live. Suicide statistics present compelling evidence that depression is winning the fight more frequently than it once did.

Anyway, depression is not a ‘fight’, and although a convenient analogy, nor should we describe it as one. Often what is meant by fighting, is suffering in silence.

Football is a fight. Depression is an illness that requires understanding and treatment. You can fight an opponent on your own, but not depression.

Like days past when the actions of Bugg and Fahour might have been celebrated, also gone are the days of advising those who are struggling to ‘toughen up’. That will save lives.

The recent actions of Fasolo, Cloke and now Boyd are commendably instructive – don’t ‘fight’ it, get help.

The thoughtless, dumb gags recently made by some media pundits don’t hurt me, but they might hurt someone who is young and suffering from an irrational, debilitating illness, or a confusion so catastrophic that it has infected every part of their soul with an incredible vulnerability.

Winston Churchill called depression ‘The Black Dog’, which is being rather unkind to black dogs.

I had a white dog, a pit-bull named Dudley. Not only was he handy for my anxiety, but his love kept me from suicide. Dudley died recently and for the first time in my life I experienced an authentic, natural sadness.

The type we are meant to feel. It was a beautiful sadness. Depression is anything but.
Prominent footballers are both lucky and unlucky.

Lucky in that they can get immediate access to the best help, something underprivileged, disadvantaged or poor people can’t.

They are unlucky in that they are ridiculously scrutinised and placed under enormous pressure by anyone with an interest in sport. Why? Simply for playing a game that is meant to be fun, a game which beyond the superficial, doesn’t really matter.

Because of courageous men like Franklin, Fasolo, Cloke and Boyd less people will get to the tortured point I and many others have.

Fewer people will abuse drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism, fewer will retire from football because of a treatable illness and hopefully fewer again will retire from life itself.

Intentionally or otherwise – through the public acknowledgement of a still misunderstood illness – these footballers will ultimately do something far more beneficial for society than anything they could ever hope to achieve on a footy field.

Why? Because depression is life and death, footy isn’t.

Good on Tom Boyd, and if he hasn’t got one already, he might want to get himself a white dog.

If you or anyone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36.

[LostDoggy]

Thats a good read Choconmientay.

Get well soon Tom, we miss ya big fella.

[macca]

Get well Tom and your amazing young man to have put up with all this being able to produce an outstanding finals campaign last year. I am forever grateful for you amazing efforts and the 70 m goal in the granny was amazing

Take your time, and find what you need for Your Long term future and health. ITs only footy your health is more important .

[Murphy'sLore]

I still have to remind myself that Tom is only the same age as my nephew -- a baby! And he's had to put up with so much pressure so young.

I hope he knows how much joy he has, already in his short life, given to hundreds of thousands of people. He will always be precious to every Bulldog supporter, because he was such an integral part of that amazing journey. He owes us nothing more. Just work on getting better, Tom, whatever it takes and however long the process is; that's what's important now.

Big hugs to you, we're all behind you.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Tom will be returning to the club this week according to Matty Boyd.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...2991c7b913f916

WESTERN Bulldogs premiership star Tom Boyd will return to the Whitten Oval this week, according to teammate Matthew Boyd.

Boyd, 21, was granted a leave of absence a fortnight ago to deal with an ongoing battle with clinical depression.

Bulldogs veteran Boyd said players were looking forward to welcoming Boyd back into the fold.

[GVGjr]

How good is that, all the best Tom.

[Doc26]

How good is that, all the best Tom.

It's great.

May the ill informed AFL media journos out there show some grace, and learn what the cause, and particularly in this case, effects of depression are before drawing more blood with their pens.