Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says Tom Boyd will always be a ‘Bulldogs legend’

An emotional Luke Beveridge has fought back tears when talking about the retirement of Tom Boyd, who he declared will always be remembered as a ‘Bulldogs legend’. VIDEO

Tom Boyd of the Bulldogs celebrates a goal with Toby McLean in the 2016 Grand Final.

An emotional Luke Beveridge has fought back tears when talking about the retirement of Tom Boyd, who he declared will always be remembered as a “Bulldogs legend.”

Boyd, 23, announced his decision yesterday, saying the physical and emotional stress of playing had taken a toll and he no longer enjoyed the game.

The Bulldogs coach said he was immensely proud of Boyd’s contribution to the football club.

“I think at the end of 2016 we thought the footy world was Tom’s oyster and we didn’t see the black dog creep up on him,” Beveridge said.

“And at that time we weren’t really aware he’d had struggles historically and so it is sad because of what could have been in his footy career.

“But since then he’s had some enormous struggles and the mental health and the clinical diagnosis is extremely disconcerting when it’s really hard to understand and how it affects people, and in this case Tom.

“For our staff and all our people, I’m really proud of the way everyone has supported Tom and how Tom’s carried himself.

“We’ve done our best to protect him for the most part, and obviously he had an enormous impact in those couple of years where he was endeavouring to bring his absolute best at the highest level of this game.

“Unfortunately, the highest of highs and then the lowest of lows afterwards, so it is sad but now we just have to support him in his endeavours in his life.

“I personally thank Tom for his contribution.

“He’ll always be remembered as a Bulldogs legend now.”

Tom Boyd celebrates with Toby McLean after kicking a goal in the 2016 Grand Final.

When asked about why it had emotionally hit him so hard, Beveridge replied:

“Me personally? I’m an emotional beast.

“Unfortunately, I cry watching cartoons, but this is a much more significant thing.

“Obviously, we’re dealing with it in the public domain, and in the community and in life in general Tom’s an example of a person of note who’s legacy will life on for generations, I suppose.

“I’m always really connected to our group, I stood up in front of our group talking about Clay (Smith) and Picko (Liam Picken) in a babbling mess. I’ll probably do it again when Tom comes in.”

Beveridge said the episode was another timely reminder of how mental health affected so many people.

“All of us who hasn’t been burdened with it probably find it really difficult to understand with the effects on your sleep patterns, your diet and your inability to cope with the small things in life, let alone play AFL football,” he said.

Luke Beveridge and Tom Boyd at Bulldogs training.

“It does hit home how significant it is.

“It’s ended Tom’s career, so it shows how hard it is to survive in a high-performance or high-pressure environment, whether it be an elite sporting code like ours or in a really driven workplace in industry.

“It’s just such a difficult thing.”

Boyd will always be remembered for his star performance in the 2016 Grand Final, when he was unlucky not to win the Norm Smith Medal in the Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership triumph.

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Beveridge said Boyd’s game would be remembered forever.

“He definitely played his best game of AFL football on the biggest stage,” he said.

“He was extremely influential in the Grand Final, so that is going to be a fond memory for Tom and everyone who loves the Bulldogs and even the impartial football follower.

“I think that iconic vision of him after kicking that goal and piggybacking Toby McLean around the MCG will be a vivid and lasting memory for a lot of people.”