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  1. #451
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by SquirrelGrip View Post
    https://www.afl.com.au/news/553183/-...ealth-revealed

    'I broke down at the club': Bailey's battle with mental health revealed
    Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith opens up on his over-thinking and mental health struggles
    By Damian Barrett

    WESTERN Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has revealed that behind the rock star looks and alongside the extraordinary opening two seasons of his AFL career is a 20-year-old living with a mental health condition.

    In a revealing and raw interview with AFL.com.au where he volunteered discussion about his mental health, Smith urged the AFL industry to open itself further to discussing and dealing with the issue.

    The gun midfielder, who has played all possible 41 Bulldogs matches since being drafted in 2018, said football was "only the tiniest bit of me", that "you can never judge a book by its cover", and that premiership player and current assistant coach Dale Morris was one of many Bulldogs people who have helped him deal with his struggles.

    "There was actually a time where (Morris) looked after me - I broke down at the club, everyone had left one night, and I was just struggling, this was in my first year, when it all gets too much for you," Smith said.

    "Everyone had left. And he walked into the changerooms and gave me a big hug and said, 'I'm here for you'."

    Smith, who turned 20 last December, said he had always been an "over-thinker" and "perfectionist".

    "We've all got demons, we've all got things that make us anxious or struggle, and I've got my own mental health which I deal with, as I'm sure lots of people do, but it's just not spoken about as much as I'd like it, and I know we are getting better as a society and as footballers, talking about it, but we can be seen as easy going, living the dream, loving it," he said.

    "It can be the truth, it can be the story but you can never judge a book by its cover. There's a lot going on. I'm an over-thinker, always have been.

    "… it stems from growing up through school, and footy and stuff. I haven't been too open about it but I probably need to address it a bit more if it comes up in conversation. I think it's healthy to talk about it, and know that everyone doesn't always cope as well as they would like, and it's OK to put your hand up and say you're struggling.

    "The club is really good, very open with this, and lots of my teammates know I struggle at times. People knew I had mental health issues before I got drafted, which is something which is OK and I take in my stride. It makes me a lot better and makes me who I am."

    In the interview, Smith referred to two Baileys - the AFL footballer and the one known to those outside football.

    The non-footballer, he said, was: "A sensitive, caring person, (who) loves talking to people, getting to know people, I love my dogs and love being relaxed. Football is only the tiniest bit of me, it used to be all of me, but I'm trying to steer clear of that because it is not a healthy way to be.

    "That helps a lot in terms of not riding every bump which happens in football, because if you do that, it is such an emotionally tolling experience. And I did that last year, the year before, and it takes a big toll on you. The less you can see football as you, and solely you, I feel the easier it is to cope with the pressures, the talk.

    "When you are a kid, you think about it, you had football, you had school, you had so much going on, and football was what you loved, and you have to try to keep it that way. It doesn't have to be solely you.

    "It comes with over-thinking, I love thinking, I love exploring, I love listening to more mature, wiser people and feed that into my life."

    Conceding that as a perfectionist he would never be perfect, Smith said pursuing perfection was important.

    "That's the thing – you chase it, you're never going to get it, and I understand that and I don't do my head over that," he said.

    "But I think it is important to have expectations of yourself and strive for whatever you want to be, and whatever that is, just chase it. You have to understand though you are never going to get there, it is a neverending thing, but the fun of chasing it is something I am very attracted to."

    Asked what perfection might look like to him, he said: "I was thinking more like just having a family, happy, kids, just chilling after having a nice career, working away and going on holidays with the kids, as simple as that, it'd be pretty fun.

    "With football, give me three, four, five (premierships) … three would be nice, one would be nice, just to play in one and make it there."

    >> Lifeline is an Official Charity Partner of the AFL, which provides all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
    Good on him for speaking out. Was so clear in his pre draft interviews that the obsession w footy wasn’t healthy - he called it out in the video clip is saw on the AFL app - they knew before drafting him.

    Seems to have a level of maturity about him I hope holds him in good stead.

  2. #452
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Good on Bailey for speaking openly about his struggles. Young lad getting some perspective on other things in life that are important in the longer term, whilst still having that drive to improve his footy and do what he can to win premierships.

    Confirms yet again what’s great bloke Morris is. And that our club is a very supportive one - TBoyd, TCloke and now Bailey saying this.

  3. #453
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Mini Bailey Smith from the new NAB ad campaign.


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  5. #454
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by Axe Man View Post
    Mini Bailey Smith from the new NAB ad campaign.

    You know you've made it in the big league when you have a mini-me
    WOOF Member 422

  6. #455
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Looks like Joe Dirt Jr.
    Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.

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  8. #456
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by comrade View Post
    Looks like Joe Dirt Jr.
    HAHAHAHAHA I"m not going to be able to get that image out of my head now
    WOOF Member 422

  9. #457
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Folks are upset because Smith was getting into one of the AFL's good guys on the weekend:

    https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/04/...eld-behaviour/

    Dermie of course leading the charge, he's obviously suffering severe memory loss from his own career and the stupid shit that's come out of his mouth and he's glorified since. Twerp.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  11. #458
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    Folks are upset because Smith was getting into one of the AFL's good guys on the weekend:

    https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/04/...eld-behaviour/

    Dermie of course leading the charge, he's obviously suffering severe memory loss from his own career and the stupid shit that's come out of his mouth and he's glorified since. Twerp.
    '
    Perhaps it's an area for Smith to tone down a bit it's a bit rich that the suggestion is coming from Dermie. Smith fly's the flag for his teams mates which is something we all respect.
    Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"

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  13. #459
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    Folks are upset because Smith was getting into one of the AFL's good guys on the weekend:

    https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/04/...eld-behaviour/

    Dermie of course leading the charge, he's obviously suffering severe memory loss from his own career and the stupid shit that's come out of his mouth and he's glorified since. Twerp.
    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    '
    Perhaps it's an area for Smith to tone down a bit it's a bit rich that the suggestion is coming from Dermie. Smith fly's the flag for his teams mates which is something we all respect.
    Ziebull hit Travis Cloke from behind when Cloke was completely unprepared for it and pretty much finished his career by smashing his ribs. When's Dermie going to speak up about that?

    I'll take a bit of lip over a cowardly unpunished attack any day. Ziebull is a long way in front in the serendipity stakes I reckon.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

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  15. #460
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by GVGjr View Post
    '
    Perhaps it's an area for Smith to tone down a bit it's a bit rich that the suggestion is coming from Dermie. Smith fly's the flag for his teams mates which is something we all respect.
    Perhaps he could. But I'm pretty confident he'd get a fair bit of lip coming his way every game and would have done since he started growing his hair.

    Additionally, it's pretty cheap to conflate opening up about mental illness and being vulnerable with what happens on a footy field. It's like saying as soon as you open up about being vulnerable off the field your on field actions have to be constrained by that. It's dumb.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  17. #461
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by Twodogs View Post
    Ziebull hit Travis Cloke from behind when Cloke was completely unprepared for it and pretty much finished his career by smashing his ribs. When's Dermis going to speak up about that?

    I'll take a bit of lip over a cowardly unpunished attack any day. Ziebull is a long way in front in the serendipity stakes I reckon.
    It was actually front/ side on contact after Cloke disposed of the footy. Ziebell cannoned into him as he was completing his follow through post kick. Highly opportunistic, the type of thing he's known for (in addition to jumping into vulnerable people with hip and shoulders etc.).

    What's great about Dermie's comments is he thinks Ziebell is a fine character. You know, because lining up vulnerable people isn't as bad as taunting them verbally.
    Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.

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  19. #462
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    So many things about Dermies comments are hilarious. Thinking Ziebel is a moral character. Thinking he was innocent on Friday. Thinking he himself is some upstanding citizen. Calling out mental health issues as a reason for being immune to football field antics that are otherwise acceptable.

    Loved seeing Bailey fly the flag. He certainly wasn’t doing it for no reason.

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  21. #463
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by comrade View Post
    Looks like Joe Dirt Jr.
    Great get.
    But then again, I'm an Internet poster and Bevo is a premiership coach so draw your own conclusions.

  22. #464
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Baz got in Ziebell’s face because he tried to destroy Bruce in a faux tough guy tackle earlier in the quarter.
    Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.

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  24. #465
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    Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

    Quote Originally Posted by jeemak View Post
    It was actually front/ side on contact after Cloke disposed of the footy. Ziebell cannoned into him as he was completing his follow through post kick. Highly opportunistic, the type of thing he's known for (in addition to jumping into vulnerable people with hip and shoulders etc.).

    What's great about Dermie's comments is he thinks Ziebell is a fine character. You know, because lining up vulnerable people isn't as bad as taunting them verbally.

    It was a snipe job whichever way he took him out I reckon. I still can't believe the footy world just shrugged it's collective shoulders and said "oh well. What a shame. How good is Jack Ziebull everybody?"
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

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