Sam Lloyd on his mate Dusty, the AFL’s mental health battle and how he turned things around at the Western Bulldogs
A little bit of mindfulness and a lot of love from coach Luke Beveridge has given Western Bulldog Sam Lloyd a new lease on life at the Kennel. The gun forward on life after Richmond, mental health and his mate Dusty.
Bulldogs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bulldogs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Starvation corner is a piece of real estate where the mind can start playing tricks on you damned fast.
For Western Bulldog Sam Lloyd, the doubts used to creep in within minutes of the first bounce, given what had befallen him so often before.
As a half forward you earn your keep hitting the scoreboard and getting your hands on the Sherrin and if you don’t, welcome back to the world of the VFL quick smart.
Watch every match of the Marsh Community Series AFL pre-season comp LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Both seasons the clever mid-sized forward has played over 20 games he has amassed hauls of 35 and 38 goals and yet in between there have been seasons of eight, eight, seven and 12 games.
Lloyd, 29, might seem like a laid-back country boy from Deniliquin, but says there is no surprise about the season he just peeled off given he finally felt he wasn’t playing for his spot each week.
An ex-Tiger secured with a throwaway pick 64 would finish the season with 38.31, his 80 total shots at goal a remarkable ninth in the competition.
“At the start of the year I didn’t know what to expect but Bevo (Luke Beveridge) knew what he wanted and I got some confidence in my game,” he said.
“I wasn’t thinking, I am going to get dropped if I play s**t.
“It made a huge difference and I went outside what I usually do and tried to play a team leadership role down there which gets you outside your own footy and in turn makes your own game better, which is good.
“It’s huge. It’s probably something I have done the majority of work on besides the physical side of footy. Not trying to think like that if I haven’t got a kick in 10 minutes, trying to reverse my thinking. A few years ago I would be like that and it’s no good for anyone if you are like that the whole game. You don’t have to dominate to get a game, it helps the team if you are just playing your role.”
The key to that turnaround is mindfulness consultant Emma Murray, the same expert who has helped Lloyd’s friend and Brownlow date Dustin Martin realise his potential.
“I still speak to Emma who was at Richmond. She has been amazing. I give her a phone call when I need to touch it up. She does a lot of work with triggers especially. If I start to think that I haven’t had a kick or am going nowhere, it’s about trying to get back into a good state of mind to re-set. It’s the main basis behind it, and that in partnership with a bit of confidence has been good.”
Lloyd’s decision to find greener pastures was inspired given his own form and a Richmond logjam that meant even Josh Caddy couldn’t find a forward role last year after 46.15 in 2018.
A Dogs list management team that hoped Josh Schache and Tom Boyd might be a saviours before Round 1 last year has in the space of 12 months found Aaron Naughton as a forward, secured Josh Bruce, seen Bailey Dale dominate after serious injury and introduced Lloyd as a dangerous forward.
Add in mid-forward Patrick Lipinski, draftee Cody Weightman and Tory Dickson and the front six is stacked with talent.
If Lloyd wasn’t as accurate as his 2016 Tigers season of 35.13 — including that post-siren winner against Sydney — he credits it for some long-range shots and quick snaps he will try to pass off this year.
He hasn’t missed a beat over the pre-season, like all the Dogs players mystified by the elimination final flop and their disappointment at not reacting to Toby Green’s harassment of Marcus Bontempelli.
“You can’t blame anything else than frame of mind. You get the two weeks off before so we were all fresh, we just went into some state of shock or something and couldn't get it right,” he says of his first taste of September action,” he said.
“I was up the other end of the ground (from the Greene-Bontempelli incidents) and it’s easy to say now but I genuinely didn’t see it. But it’s something that’s stuck in the mind before we play them next, that’s for sure.I don’t think it will ever be like that again.”
Lloyd is exactly the kind of knockabout, quick-with-a-smile character that makes a football club, which is why the Tigers were sad to see the back of him but happy to release him for greater opportunities.
MORE AFL:
Star Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton compared to North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey
Shoe-obsessed Matthew Suckling has no plans to give his AFL career the boot anytime soon
He retains strong friendships with his Punt Road teammates, tagging along with Dustin Martin in 2016 and 2017 to footy’s night of nights.
“The first Brownlow was good, we didn’t have a Grand Final to play,” he quips of what was surely an epic celebration.
“The second one dragged on but it was good to see him win, that was something I will never forget. Mate, you have seen what he can do as a player but what a lot of people don’t see is the kind of person he is from the outside.
“They can throw judgments at him from a distance, but he is one of the kindest, most caring guys you will ever meet and all in that he’s a pretty good footballer and they are pretty lucky to have him down there.”
Martin’s contempt for the media is well-known, but doesn’t it mean the fans don’t get to see his true character?
“Yeah, I can see that. It’s his persona as well that people love,” Lloyd says.
“I would say it might be disappointing for everyone because he’s completely different to what is portrayed at times but he doesn’t mind. He has done a lot of work on who is around him and the people that surround him and that’s all he would care about.”
Like many Tigers past and present Lloyd was surprised but not shocked with Alex Rance’s sudden retirement.
“I am still good mates with Rancey. I have given him his space and haven’t spoken to him about it, he’s probably getting phone calls from all over the place
I guess I can understand it, I see where he’s coming from knowing Rancey for five or six years there, “
He is a complex guy, one of the nicest funniest guys you will ever meet but he is complex and at the end of the day I respect his decision
There is obviously a lot more to it I don’t know and he's made the decision for himself and I hope he’s happy.”
FOOTY’S WATERSHED MOMENT ON MENTAL HEALTH
Football has reached a watershed moment where players can reach out for mental health assistance without any stigmatisation, according to Dogs forward Sam Lloyd.
AFL stars are asking for help for mental health issues in increasing numbers, finally able to be open about their concerns instead of suffering in silence.
Western Bulldogs forward Tom Boyd walked away millions of dollars when he retired last year, while Lin Jong has also taken time away with mental health concerns.
As stars Dayne Beams and Jesse Hogan address their concerns with time away from their respective clubs, Lloyd says teammates realise mental health is as important as physical health.
“Every meeting we have with the AFLPA it’s the most addressed thing and it’s one (as a club) we have looked to address the most and coming down here and seeing guys like Boydy and Jongy take time off, you see how prevalent it is in the game,” he said.
“We have a club psych Lisa (Stevens) and the AFLPA and other resources but in terms of the locker room and mates around you and coaches, I think people aren’t afraid to stick their hand up and say they are battling.
“I would hope so and I would say so, that you are not going to get any judgment from our coaches or players.
“I caught up with (Tom Boyd) at Lachie Hunter’s engagement on Saturday and he’s doing a lot of talks. It’s amazing he can share his experiences and if he can share his journey it’s amazing even if he only helps one or two people.”
Originally published as Sam Lloyd on his mate Dusty, the AFL’s mental health battle and how he turned things around at the Western Bulldogs
Dismantling the Dogs: How 2016 flag team fell apart
The 2016 premiership wasn’t just a dam wall breaking, it felt like something big building. But that young side is almost all gone, with just three players left at the Dogs. Here’s how it all broke up.
‘Fire in the belly’: Macrae reveals true feelings about Dogs exit
Jack Macrae has spoken for the first time as a Saint, declaring he wants to return to the “peak” of his powers as an inside mid and revealing how he feels about the Dogs’ midfield moving past him.