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  1. #886
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    For those with access to the HUN, Smith does and interview talking through his challenges
    Bailey Smith’s first interview: ‘I went days without getting out of bed’
    Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has given a tell-all interview to the Herald Sun after footage of his drug use and post-grand final partying emerged.
    Grace Baldwin
    EXCLUSIVE

    Bailey Smith has revealed in his darkest times he couldn’t get out of bed, go to training or even talk to anyone.
    In an incredible tell-all interview, the Western Bulldogs star has opened up about how he turned to partying to deal with his mental health battles, including “chronic anxiety”, exacerbated by last year’s devastating grand final loss.

    However he said it was almost a relief now that a video and images of his drug taking had been leaked, and he was ready to take accountability and be transparent about getting help – something he urged other men to also do.

    Smith described his parents and girlfriend Gemma Dawkins as the “best support”, also offering a special mention to Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who he revealed was the first from the club to text him saying “here to support you, we’ll get through this”.

    “And I’ve got my psychologist, my doctor at the footy club, which is great for me. Obviously the Bulldogs have been great in supporting me,” he said.

    After revealing the shattering aftermath of the grand final loss to the Demons was a trigger for his mental deterioration when the video surfaced on Saturday, the 21-year-old said distance from family and worrying about the next season led to a string of poor decision making.

    “I just had to take that month off, and I didn’t know what my future looked like from there,” he said.

    “I didn’t know if I’d ever get back to good form, or get back on the straight and narrow.”

    The period he took in the Gold Coast, where he spent a month and the video was taken, was saturated with crippled mental health.

    Smith admitted the thought of leaving AFL altogether does “cross your mind”.

    However he said he never wanted to abandon the game because he “can’t live without it”.

    “But there have certainly been really dark days,” he said.

    “Even now, I haven’t brushed my teeth in two days just because of this stuff.

    “It does hit me, and I do get waves of chronic anxiety and it’s difficult.

    “I reckon I went days without eating, even brushing my teeth, leaving my bedroom, I couldn’t talk to people (after the grand final).

    “I didn’t go on my phone or anything, but that’s just what it was.

    “I didn’t do any training, anything like that – I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to training.

    “I’m sure lots of people have experienced that, and it’s not an excuse to why I acted the way that I did, but it certainly does provide context as to why I made such a stupid decision like I did.”

    Smith said he found it hard to resist the alluring party lifestyle in the whirlwind of 2021.

    “It is a reality of what lots of people are like; the party life which I’ve tried to steer clear from a lot this year, and got sucked into last year,” he said.

    “This is good for people to see the path they don’t want to go down.

    “Lots of people growing up can fall into the wrong crowds and fall into doing stupid stuff.”

    Smith said anyone – no matter how successful they were – was vulnerable to the seduction of the party scene.

    “I want to inspire people if they’ve made the wrong decisions or are struggling.

    “There’s always rock bottom, but you can always pick yourself back up from there.

    “I own it, I don’t shy away from it … but it’s hard to own up to that when it’s such an embarrassing thing.

    “It’s a period of my life where I feel ashamed.

    “I’m extremely remorseful, embarrassed … it’s something I’ve got to live with.”

    An advocate for mental health, Smith said his struggle with anxiety and depression was “not an excuse” for his behaviour, but he felt it “provided context” as to why he made a “stupid decision”.

    “Have the courage to talk to your loved ones and even the people you don’t want to be vulnerable to, so you don’t spiral out of control as I have,” he said.

    “Lots of people think ‘mental health’ is a cop out, or you’re just ‘playing the mental health card’.

    “But I really dislike people when they say that because clearly, they haven’t faced it before.

    “Mental health is a complex sort of beast and it affects people in every way – so you can’t judge.”

    “It’s easy to just label someone as being weak or – even myself being an idiot party boy, or arrogant or whatever, who just thinks he can do anything. But you’d be surprised how much it really can take control of you and warp the decisions you make.

    “Hopefully I can rebuild my image and work on myself and be a better human for the people around me.”
    "I'll give him a hug before the first bounce and then I'll run into my pack and give them orders to rip him apart."

  2. #887
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Well… if the GF loss impacted one guy that much, it must’ve impacted a few more at least a bit.

  3. #888
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    I don't know why but I don't feel comfortable with that interview.
    Can't quite pin down why but feels off.

  4. #889
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by bornadog View Post
    He went the drink driving route didn't he.

    But it says triple premiership captain not drink driver guy.

  5. #890
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by Grantysghost View Post
    I don't know why but I don't feel comfortable with that interview.
    Can't quite pin down why but feels off.
    Do you watch The Boys?

    I'm annoyed at him ripping on the party scene. The party scene is awesome, providing it's not the only thing in your life and it's with nice people.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

  6. #891
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    Do you watch The Boys?

    I'm annoyed at him ripping on the party scene. The party scene is awesome, providing it's not the only thing in your life and it's with nice people.
    Greatest show ever.

  7. #892
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by Grantysghost View Post
    Greatest show ever.
    Well you get the feeling this is all a bit stage managed and that the club may have been a few steps ahead in its planning given it knew about the photo a few days before it came out.

    Scratch the veneer and it's all pretty cynical, much like with the Supes.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  9. #893
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    Well you get the feeling this is all a bit stage managed and that the club may have been a few steps ahead in its planning given it knew about the photo a few days before it came out.

    Scratch the veneer and it's all pretty cynical, much like with the Supes.

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  11. #894
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Bailey ‘Homelander’ Smith.
    Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.

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  13. #895
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith


  14. #896
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    In Shanghai, I'm finding the best way out of a hole is to start helping others.

    Bailey should get on the front foot, and get into a social work certificate at VU, share the lessons he has learned.

    VU will really benefit from the PR, and Bailey can start to get an idea of what drugs really do in the community.

    Was watching a doco on Australian prisons the other day. Ordinary housewives doing time for getting sucked into drugs.
    Most of it because they lost their businesses during the pandemic and turned to drugs as a way to cope.
    Lost houses, marriages, the lot.

    The Italian drug mafia is neck deep into the Australian recreational drug scene. Note what is happening in Sydney.
    You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. ― Epicurus

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  16. #897
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    It's added another hurdle for the Club to jump on the run home. Maybe he did the Hun interview to silence their guns as quick as possible. News Corp is an execrable organisation.
    http://journals.worldnomads.com/merantau
    "It's not about the destination - it's about the trip."

  17. #898
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by Ghost Dog View Post
    In Shanghai, I'm finding the best way out of a hole is to start helping others.

    Bailey should get on the front foot, and get into a social work certificate at VU, share the lessons he has learned.

    VU will really benefit from the PR, and Bailey can start to get an idea of what drugs really do in the community.

    Was watching a doco on Australian prisons the other day. Ordinary housewives doing time for getting sucked into drugs.
    Most of it because they lost their businesses during the pandemic and turned to drugs as a way to cope.
    Lost houses, marriages, the lot.

    The Italian drug mafia is neck deep into the Australian recreational drug scene. Note what is happening in Sydney.
    whats the doco called?

  18. #899
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by ReLoad View Post
    whats the doco called?
    Deleted
    "It's over. It's all over."

  19. #900
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by MrMahatma View Post
    Well… if the GF loss impacted one guy that much, it must’ve impacted a few more at least a bit.
    Ryan Gardner for one - finding out you've been left out via media would be incredibly tough
    Western Bulldogs: 2016 Premiers

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