Hayden Burbank says he endured ‘sketchy moments’ during WA jail stint

Saying this word earned footy border-breacher Hayden Burbank a stern warning behind bars at a WA maximum-security prison.

Hayden Burbank has opened up about his torrid WA jail stint, saying it felt like he spent an eternity in the maximum security Hakea prison.

The Melbourne socialite and his friend, Mark Babbage, were jailed for three months after breaching border rules to watch their beloved Demons win the grand final last year.

In a candid chat with Sam Newman and Don Scott on their You Cannot Be Serious podcast, Burbank revealed chilling details.

“You watched every single word you said,’’ he said.

“Occasionally I slipped up and you got quickly warned to pull your head in. You can’t say the word ‘dog’ and occasionally that word would slip out and people who used that word regularly were dealt with of sorts.

“I was pretty alright, there were some sketchy moments but I don’t really want to go into specifics. You were walking on eggshells and it was basically a game of Survivor and you had to form allegiances. It was the greatest game of Survivor of all-time, that’s how I’d describe it.”

Hayden Burbank on the ground at Optus Stadium after the Demons won the AFL Grand Final.

The Morris Jones bar owner said he believes authorities were aware of many more breachers but his high profile gained attention.

“There was a lot more. I’ve had quite a few people message me saying ‘we were there as well’,’’ Burbank said.

“After experiencing it and going through it all I was one of those people previously, you watch the news and you have your opinion (that) this guy should have got that sentence.

“But experiencing it and living it my opinions have changed on sentencing and lengths. I was there for three months but it seems like an eternity while you’re in there.

“Every single second of the day all you can think about is ‘I want to get out, I want to get out, I want to get out’.

Burbank and his friend Mark Babbage celebrating Melbourne’s premiership.

Burbank celebrating in the changerooms. Picture: Instagram

“Guys walk around the gym screaming ‘I want to get out of here’, I ‘have to get out of here’ to drive you mental. People walk down the hallways screaming ‘I want to get out’. One day is enough in there, a week seems like forever, a month is like a year.

“It’s affected me a little bit, just stuff you see in jail you don’t need to experience that sort of stuff. I never want to step back in a jail ever again.”

Burbank has apologised and regrets his actions, saying the forging of documents is what “really buried us”.

He said he knows who dobbed him in, with rumours it was one of the Melbourne players’ partners.

“I do (know) but I won’t go into it,’’ he said.

“It is what it is, they’ve got to live with that choice. They saw the photo on the AFL Instagram, they were in Melbourne. Rumour is it was someone who was jealous they couldn’t get to the Grand Final to watch their (partner) … that’s just a rumour.”