FOOTBALL
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
AND LIAM DURKIN
WESTERN BULLDOGS premiership player Tom Boyd, alongside national not-for-profit Wellways Australia, paid a visit to Moe Football-Netball Club last week.
Hosted by Moe Racing Club, the mental health advocate and retired AFL player delivered a powerful message surrounding the stigma of mental health and promoting suicide prevention through community engagement, storytelling and lived experience.
The event came about from local voices, including in partnership with Andrew and Kerry Pearce and their broader family, who’ve been personally impacted by suicide.
The primary objectives for the initiative included fostering community connection and belonging, promoting open conversation about mental health and suicide, sharing stories of lived experience to reduce stigma, highlighting local supports (including those delivered by Wellways), and strengthening Wellways’ partnerships with regional communities.
Wellways worked closely with Andrew, Kerry, and Moe FNC to ensure the event reflected local needs and sensitives.
More than 175 people turned out for the event.
Wellways Australia Regional Manager, Gippsland and Housing Services, Lee Brien said the attendance demonstrated strong community interest and support.
“The event was planned together with the people it aimed to support, making it more meaningful and impactful,” Brien said.
“Tom Boyd openly shared his journey with mental health, and his presence brought authenticity and visibility to the topic of mental health, resonating strongly with attendees.”
Boyd spoke candidly about his journey from suburban Melbourne to No 1 draft pick, and his decision to walk away from the game aged just 23 due to poor mental health – not long after helping the Bulldogs to a breakthrough premiership in 2016.
His decision shocked the football fraternity at the time, given he seemingly had the world at his feet.
However, part of Boyd’s address also dived into what the highly-stressful AFL system is really like – far removed from the glitz and glamour portrayed on television screens.
In the years post-retirement, the key forward has played suburban football, and embarked on the public speaking circuit. Locally, he has also spoken at Morwell FNC and Gormandale FNC in the last few years.
As Boyd himself pointed out, he didn’t retire from football, he retired from the AFL.
Following his speech, questions were taken from the floor, before autograph and photo hunters arrived to talk personally to the guest speaker, who of course made mention of how he caused Brian Taylor to deliver arguably his most quoted piece of commentary.
Mad Bulldogs fan Liam Pearce (Andrew’s son) delighted in being presented a signed footy by the entire Western Bulldogs squad.
When asked about current Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli (who incidentally played his 250th match last round), Boyd described him as “the second coming of Jesus”.
There was little surprise when Boyd also revealed who was ‘best on’ after the 2016 premiership: Tom Liberatore.
Boyd has a couple of connections to Moe FNC, with current Lion Tim Golds and former player Kristian Jaksch (who won the Gippsland League goal kicking in 2021) teammates of Boyd’s at GWS.
More broader connections include Warragul lad Bob Murphy, the injured skipper famously called upon to accept the premiership cup in 2016.
From a pure football sense, Moe of this season will be hoping to emulate the Western Bulldogs and deliver a drought-breaking premiership.
The whole club-sense however carries much greater meaning.
“Those in attendance reported feeling more connected and aware of local supports such as Wellways and The WES,” Brien added.
“The feedback reinforces Wellways is a trusted, community-led mental health provider in Gippsland.”
Both Wellways Australia and Moe FNC wish to continue this partnership into the future for further community education and suicide prevention.
