Footy star Bailey Hayward opens up about why he's proud of his grandfather - who went from one of the game's biggest names to spending 11 years in a hellish Thai jail for heroin trafficking

Bailey Hayward is rapidly making a sanction for himself successful the NRL, but for galore rugby league fans, his surname brings backmost memories of 1 of the sport's astir infamous tales.

The 23-year-old Bulldogs fractional is the grandson of Paul Hayward, a erstwhile Newtown Jets prima whose autumn from grace saw him walk much than a decennary successful Thailand's notorious Bang Kwang prison.

Paul Hayward was a gritty five-eighth and boxer who was selected for the 1976 Montreal Olympics earlier becoming a nonrecreational footballer. 

But successful 1978, his beingness changed everlastingly erstwhile helium was arrested successful Bangkok with 8.4kg of heroin. He was sentenced to 20 years and would service 11, enduring unimaginable conditions earlier receiving a royal pardon successful 1989.

Hayward's communicative was besides tied to 1 of Australia's astir notorious transgression figures, murderer and equipped robber Neddy Smith. 

The footy prima was Smith's brother-in-law, and the different Aussie who was busted and imprisoned with Hayward, Warren Fellows, stating that Smith organised the heroin deal.  

Bailey, calved agelong aft Paul's release, has heard the stories. 

'I don't cognize excessively overmuch astir him beyond what I've been told,' helium told the SMH.

'But it is simply a arrogant past for us, him playing for Newtown. I've lone heard bully things astir him arsenic a fella.'

Bailey's emergence has been dependable and grounded. After a standout Jersey Flegg play and 2 appearances for Scotland successful the World Cup, helium made his NRL debut successful 2024.

'It's been surreal, the past fewer weeks,' Bailey said astatine the time.

'Making my NRL debut is what you imagination of arsenic a kid. I'm conscionable trying to bid hard and marque the astir of each opportunity.'

He's besides go a person among the Bulldogs' younger crop. 

During a 2023 army-style grooming camp, erstwhile elite tactical officers ranked him among the apical leaders, adjacent earlier his first-grade debut.

'Every azygous 1 of them wrote down Bailey Hayward's name,' manager Cameron Ciraldo said. 

'That was a existent peek into what we're seeing present connected the paddock.'

In caller weeks, with premiership victor and NSW Origin prima Matt Burton sidelined, Bailey has taken implicit astatine five-eighth and impressed with his defence, kicking crippled and calm leadership.

His communicative is not conscionable 1 of talent, but of resilience. Bailey concisely stepped distant from footy astatine 18, moving arsenic a surveyor. 

'That small interruption was bully for me,' helium said. 'I missed it rapidly and realised consecutive distant that footy was what I ever wanted to do.'

Bailey's sporting pedigree doesn't extremity with his grandfather. His sister Paige plays successful the A-League Women aft respective years successful the US assemblage system. 

'She's ever kicking goals,' Bailey said. 'She wanted to play league erstwhile she was younger, but Dad wouldn't fto her.'

The Hayward household has experienced some triumph and hardship. Paul's woman Gail, Bailey's grandmother, raised 3 children connected her ain portion Paul was incarcerated.

'It was pugnacious for Nan, too, but she's played a monolithic portion successful not conscionable my footy career, but my beingness arsenic well,' Bailey said. 'She ne'er missed a game. I'm precise arrogant of her and precise grateful.'

Paul Hayward's communicative is 1 of mislaid potential. In Bang Kwang, wherever 25 to 35 men shared a cement compartment with straw mats and a bucket for a toilet, helium held onto anticipation of seeing his household again.

'I often deliberation I'm going mad,' helium told Rugby League Week mag during a situation visit. 'But erstwhile I get truly depressed I archer myself, 'don't ace up, you tin bash it.'

He described dreams of seeing his woman Gail and children again including the girl helium had ne'er met, Belinda, who was calved aft his arrest.

Fellow inmate Warren Fellows described however the 2 were allegedly framed wrong jailhouse for heroin possession, extending their sentences. Both denied ever selling drugs.

Hayward's clip wrong was marked by intelligence spot and longing. 'I cognize I've done wrong, I cognize it. But it's not just connected my family,' helium said.

He held onto the anticipation of a royal pardon, which yet came arsenic portion of King Bhumibol's 60th day celebrations.

Paul Hayward died successful 1992, aged 38, aft overdosing connected heroin astatine his household home. 

Now, decades on, Bailey is determined to constitute a caller section for the Hayward name.

Canterbury fable Josh Reynolds has known the household for years. 'We came done the aforesaid inferior club, St George Dragons,' helium said. 'It's been a agelong clip since the Bulldogs had a harvest of section juniors, but guys similar Bailey are changing that.'

Bailey knows the value of past but carries it with quiescent pride. 'It was a celebrated story,' helium said of his grandfather's past. 'But I wasn't live for it.'

Instead, he's focused connected the future—his own, and that of a nine rebuilding connected grit, identity, and section pride.

And similar his gramps erstwhile did successful the aged Bluebag jersey, Bailey Hayward is making definite the sanction stands for toughness, resilience, and heart.