Tom Boyd

Tom Boyd grew up with the dream of being the best junior footballer in the country and taken with the first pick in the AFL National Draft. However, after reaching this milestone at the age of 18, being selected by the GWS Giants in 2013, Tom quickly realised that this career may not be what it had seemed.

Tom’s size and skill set him apart from his peers, leading to him always playing representative sport, and being the best in the team. Although, the extensive praise he received for his talents came at a high cost, being burdened by the expectation to always be the best.

Upon moving to Sydney to play with GWS, Tom was confronted by a significantly different culture, where instead of the team working together to achieve a common goal, they were essentially competing against one another for a spot in the team, or a new contract. Where players were effectively only judged on their performance each game day, and nothing else.

Tom used ‘home sickness’ to reason his struggling to adapt to this new lifestyle. Leading to his later decision to leave the Giants, and a lucrative 7 year, $7million deal being signed with the Western Bulldogs. This move was unprecedented for a player who had only played one season, to becoming one of the highest paid players in the competition.

Upon his move back home and his new surrounds at the Western Bulldogs, Tom found a sense of comfort in his life again. Their team was playing well, competing in the finals in 2015, and later in the drought breaking AFL Premiership in 2016, which was arguably the best game of his career. However, even in the peak of his performance, Tom was knocked by insomnia in 2017, which resulted in him taking a leave of absence from the game, due to going weeks on end without sleeping causing both physical and mental detriments to his body. 

Returning to the game in 2018, Tom tried numerous methods to manage his symptoms, however, he ultimately made the tough decision mid-way through the 2019 season to walk away from his career. His decision was viewed as greatly courageous in the public eye,  and as Tom explains it, he did not want the AFL to define who he was as a person, but instead wanted to create his own path and destiny.

Tom has since written his memoir, ‘Nowhere to Hide’, and can be seen working closely with Everperform clients, supporting WorkSafe, Lifeline, and as an Ambassador of The Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.

Tom is passionate about helping communities understand the importance of mental health and wellbeing. He shares his inspirational journey, highlighting his mental health battles and how he identifies and manages it daily, delving into how individuals, teams and businesses can improve their own performance. Tom speaks with wisdom beyond his years and translates to listeners across all demographics, in hopes of making a positive impact on the world.