Bailey Smith's journey to date hasn't been smooth sailing from an external point of view.
By the age of 24, the AFL sensation had played in a grand final, embroiled in multiple media sagas, admitted to struggling with his mental health, suffered an ACL injury, and was successfully traded from the Western Bulldogs to Geelong.
And snippets from Smith have revealed that this is only touching the surface.
The most followed AFL player on Instagram has delved into meditation as part of his "armoury and tools to get through the sh** that is going to come my way", whilst he also admitted, on the Real Stuff podcast, that he spent six weeks in a health facility that helped him get back on track.
SEE MORE: The layers of Bailey Smith - Gracious, grounded and game-changing
Throughout his chat with host Hunter Johnson, who is the founder of both Man Cave and the Stuff That Matters, established to redefine masculinity, Smith details the battles he has faced.
"Resenting me": The Dogs departure ruined relationships
Smith revealed how difficult it was to depart the Bulldogs, the club that drafted him with Pick 7 in 2018.
He sat out the entire 2024 season due to a pre-season ACL tear, and trade speculation started to swirl that he wouldn't be seen in the tri-colours again, with Geelong the likeliest destination.
"My teammates ended up sort of ... resenting me, I suppose, with all the talk of me moving," Smith said.
"I really fell into a bad spiral (after doing my ACL in 2021) ... I didn't have the mask of footy and all that sort of stuff to really distract me about what was going on internally ... I went through a breakup.
"I got into some bad ways going out flat out after my knee, and getting on the piss and being an idiot, which we all do, but that's my coping mechanism. I really had to look inward and find that that's when I found out that โf***, there's nothing much to look inward here', other than a bit of a s***storm. I've worked on myself a lot.
"It was a pretty tough time, especially when you've got the media sort of burning some of your relationships, even though they shouldn't be burned, and continue to be burnt.
"Let's just wait for the trade period (to talk about players who might be moving). I lost a lot relationships over something that I literally didn't have much control over. I wasn't really at the club too much, I sort of trained on my own for about 10 or 12 weeks and got my own physio.
"We thought it was better for both parties, which was also kind of weird again, to just go ... and do that sort of stuff."
The move to Geelong has inspired Smith's extraordinary form, which most would know he is capable of.
The star midfielder is arguably leading the Brownlow Medal, and is one of the favourites.
But the highly-watched footballer says the change in scenery down the coast has helped release the shackles.
"(Being at Geelong) just given me some feeling that you can't bottle up, and just the stress and pressure comes off my shoulders," Smith said.
"Just being able to sit and be zen, that's the priceless sh**. It was for all the other stuff that helps me, Bailey the person, not Bailey the footballer.
"I've never been more content and at peace than I am now."
"I got a bit poisoned": Challenges of being the most-followed AFL player
Smith has amassed 371,000 followers on Instagram, topping the likes of Lance Franklin (349,000) and Nick Daicos (274,000), which, despite its celebrity status in Australia, does come with its challenges.
The star Cat admitted that he worried his admirers weren't for his football prowess, but more his long, flowing blond hair, blue eyes and six-pack abs.
"It's about not attaching self-worth with how I look. It's hard, because I get this recognition for how you look and Instagram following for how I look, not football initially per se," he said.
"It's hard not to attach your identity to that and self-worth and worry about how many abs you've got and all that sort of bullsh**.
"I got a bit poisoned by feeling like I was doing it to live up to the expectations of others and not because I loved fitness and exercise."
"Pupper to my emotions": The panic attacks that led to "intensive" assistance
Smith has previously opened up about his mental health battles, detailing in a 2021 interview the time he broke down in his maiden season at the Bulldogs.
The gun midfielder said at the time that he continues to fight the personal demons, and since then, has been an advocate for open conversations and redefining masculinity, which plays into his role at the Stuff That Matters.
"I sought some professional help, intensively for a while," Smith said.
"I was there for like six weeks, like f***ing working on my sh** every day, meditating and seeing psychs. And I think it gets demonised. You're going to seek professional help, and it's either weak or you're a fruit loop or something.
"But it really helped me, finding help and understanding that it's not ... you're not doing it alone, there's actually people there to help you. My family, or professional help.
"I used to think, I'm not going to a psychologist and talking about my f***ing feelings. It's not like that. Actually, I found a really good one where I was more proactive."
Smith revealed he had hit "rock bottom" during this troubling time, but has found "healthier coping mechanisms" to deal with things like panic attacks.
"There were multiple times where I thought (this is) โrock bottom' but then you find out rock bottom keeps going for a bit," Smith said.
"You never know how sh** it can get until it gets pretty f***ed. I was there for a bit ... and then sh** just keeps happening. You have to trust that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, regardless of whether you can see it or not, and that's what I think getting out of yourself and seeking help is the most important thing."
The "sustainable sources of fulfilment" serving Smith
Smith has been open in his use of meditation and seeking professional help to ensure he has the tools to deal with what life throws at him.
Coffee catch-ups with Ollie Dempsey, Gary Ablett and Sam De Koning also play a role in levelling his mental state.
"I've found there's no perfect place or blissful place you get to," he said.
"You either suffer a bit easier, or follow that suffering through healthy coping mechanisms through meditation.
"It doesn't void you from all hardship... you just learn to develop better tools. It's like a muscle. The more you train that willingness to sit through the discomfort, not escape it or try to dampen it, the quicker you get through.
"You've got to trust there's light at the end of the tunnel, regardless if you can see it or not.
"The big thing for me is getting out of my own head... through meditation, going to the beach, through sustainable sources of fulfilment and dopamine that don't have a big drop afterwards."
The full podcast can be found here.
