Bailey Hayward quickly made a name for himself in the LNR, but for many fans of the Rugby League, his surname brings back memories of one of the most infamous tales in sport.
Half of the 23-year-old Bulldogs are the grandson of Paul Hayward, a former Newtown Jets star whose Grace’s fall saw him pass more than a decade in the notorious prison of Bang Kwang in Thailand.
Paul Hayward was an eighth and grainy boxer that was selected for the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games before becoming a professional footballer.
But in 1978, his life changed forever when he was arrested in Bangkok with 8.4 kg of heroin. He was sentenced to 20 years and would serve 11, hardening unimaginable conditions before receiving a royal forgiveness in 1989.
The story of Hayward also believed with some of the darkest chapters of the Australian crime while he presented his teammate from Newtown Jets, Robert Silkman, at the Sydney gangster, Neddy Smith, after marrying Smith’s sister-in-law.
This led to the murderer condemned Chris Dawson would have asked Silkman if he could “get rid of his wife”.
Paul Hayward was a player and boxer of the star rugby league before he was thrown into a notorious Thai prison for drug trafficking
The grandson of Hayward, Bailey, makes his own brand on the LNR with the Bulldogs of Canterbury
Bailey, born long after the release of Paul, heard the stories.
“I don’t really know about him beyond what I have been told,” he told SMH.
“But it’s a proud past for us, playing him for Newtown. I only heard good things about it as a guy.
Bailey’s rise in power was stable and founded. After an out -of -competition Flegg Jersey season and two appearances for Scotland in the World Cup, he made his debut in the LNR in 2024.
“It has been surreal in recent weeks,” said Bailey at the time.
“Make my debut in the LNR is what you dream of when I was a child. I’m just trying to train hard and get the most out of all opportunities.
He has also become a leader among the younger harvest of Bulldogs.
During an armed style training camp in 2023, the former elite tactical officers ranked it among the best leaders, even before its first year debut.
Bailey, a talented young playmaker in its own right, replaced the injured Matt Burton
His grandfather Paul (photo) was also a five eighth qualified with the Newtown Jets at the top of his powers
“Each of them wrote the name of Bailey Hayward,” said coach Cameron Ciraldo.
“It was a real glance in what we see now on the paddock.”
In the past few weeks, with the winner of the Premièrehip and the star of Nsw Origin Matt Burton away, Bailey took over five eighth and impressed by his defense, his kick and his calm leadership.
His story is not only that of talents, but resilience. Bailey briefly moved from football at 18, working as a surveyor.
“This little break was good for me,” he said. “I missed it quickly and I realized immediately that Footy was what I always wanted to do.
The Bailey sports pedigree does not end with his grandfather. His sister Paige plays in women in A-League after several years in the American university system.
“She always kicks goals,” said Bailey. “She wanted to play the league when she was younger, but Dad would not leave her.”
The Hayward family has experienced a triumph and difficulties. Paul’s wife, Gail, Bailey’s grandmother, raised three children by herself while Paul was incarcerated.
Bailey grew up hearing all the stories about her grandfather, who died shortly after her release from prison
Paul Hayward is one of the biggest potential stories wasted in the history of the Australian rugby league after being caught with 8.4 kg of heroin in Thailand in 1978
Bailey seeks to forge her own name in the LNR and makes her mark with the undefeated bulldogs
“It was difficult for Nan too, but she played a huge role not only in my football career, but also my life,” said Bailey. “She never missed a match. I am very proud of her and very grateful.
The story of Paul Hayward is that of lost potential. In Bang Kwang, where 25 to 35 men shared a cement cell with straw carpets and a bucket for the toilet, he kept the hope of seeing his family again.
“I often think I’m going crazy,” he told Rugby League Week magazine during a visit to prison. “But when I’m really depressed, I say to myself:” Don’t crack, you can do it. “”
He described the dreams of seeing his wife Gail and his children again, including the girl he had never met, Belinda, who was born after her arrest.
The colleague detained Warren Fellows described how the two would have been supervised inside the prison for heroin, extending their sorrows. The two denied having never sold drugs.
Hayward’s time inside was marked by mental force and desire. “I know I did badly, I know. But it’s not just for my family, “he said.
He kept the hope of a royal forgiveness, which was finally one of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol.
Paul Hayward died in 1992, at the age of 38, after a heroine overdose in his family home.
Now decades, Bailey is determined to write a new chapter for the name of Hayward.
The legend of Canterbury, Josh Reynolds, has known the family for years. “We went through the same junior club, St George Dragons,” he said. “It’s been a long time since the Bulldogs did not have a harvest of local juniors, but guys like Bailey change that.”
Bailey knows the weight of history but carries it with silent pride. “It was a famous story,” he said about the past of his grandfather. “But I was not alive for that.
Instead, he focuses on the future – his own and that of a club reconstruction on the grain, identity and local pride.
And as his grandfather once did in the old Bluebag jersey, Bailey Hayward ensures that the name represents tenacity, resilience and heart.