‘I went through a really dark time’: Bailey Smith’s brave revelation at All-Australian awards

When Geelong star Bailey Smith stepped up to receive his All-Australian jumper on Thursday evening, the previously chatty crowd at Melbourne Park’s Centrepiece fell completely silent.

An unprompted Smith opened up on the mental health challenges he faced last year when he battled injury while playing at his former club, the Western Bulldogs – revealing he’d spent several weeks in a psychiatric facility.

“It was about a year ago, I got out of a psych ward,” Smith explained. “I was in Epworth Camberwell for like four weeks, and I got out a couple hours a day, and I spent that training.

“I went through a really dark time. I didn’t think I’d get to the other side. I’m super grateful to be here through the support of my family.”

There were murmurs of surprise as people looked up from their mobile phones and immediately ceased conversations with the neighbours across the table. Guests swivelled to face Smith on the stage and listened as the 24-year-old continued his speech, admitting he’d never spoken publicly about it before.

From the bewildered reactions in the room, it appeared that Smith’s revelation was unplanned and perhaps spontaneous.

“Oh that’s brave,” one woman near the media table whispered to her colleague.

Smith recalled initially feeling “emasculated” when he had to reach out for help, but realised it was important to change his mindset.

He said seeking help was “hard, but it was something I sort of had to do”.

“It’s obviously voluntary to go in and, you know, I still see in my pysch today – it sort of just helps me,” he said.

“I sort of initially felt not weak, but emasculated a little bit needing to reach out for help. And I think I sort of just changed my mindset from ... if you have an injury, you’ve gotta rehab it in the gym or whatever.

“I’m going to the gym for my mental sort of fitness. So [I’m trying to] change my mindset on that … you know, the word gets thrown around a lot these days. Mental health is, I suppose, an excuse in some cases, and [this is not] a ‘sympathy, poor me thing’.

“It’s just more to raise awareness that you can, you know, put your hand up and [seek help if you need it].”

Smith ended his speech by telling people who may be going through a dark time that it’s OK to “put your hand up for help”.

After the admission, the crowd broke out in a chorus of cheers and claps – the loudest applause of the night.

On social media, Smith’s speech quickly started trending, with fans praising his vulnerability.

“Bailey Smith, speaking so openly about his mental battles he had last year, is incredibly raw and inspiring,” one user posted on X. “Been an incredible week for men speaking up.”

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