Boyd quits sport at 23

WESTERN Bulldogs premiership hero Tom Boyd has retired from the AFL, effective immediately, citing the burden of physical and mental health issues for his decision to walk away.

Boyd, 23, announced his bombshell decision yesterday after negotiating a release with the Bulldogs.

“My decision to retire now is a reflection of issues I’ve had over the past five years, both with physical injury and with mental health,” Boyd said via a Bulldogs statement.

“They have now accumulated to a point where I just don’t have the desire to play or the enjoyment of the game I used to have. I am satisfied that this is the right decision for my future.”

Boyd said he had worked out a “mutually agreeable position” with the club, meaning he will forfeit more than two years of his multi-million dollar contract.