RETIRED Western Bulldogs premiership hero Tom Boyd has given a fascinating insight into why his career ended far sooner than expected, saying there were far more significant factors than his mental health.

When he stunned the football world by ending his career in May, when he was just 23, Boyd said he wasn't battling mental health issues.

"There was a 250-word statement put out from me, and there was one line about mental health, and in that line was physical health as well, but that was all that got extrapolated from that statement. That's not surprising," Boyd told westernbulldogs.com.au.

Tom Boyd said he stopped enjoying footy after injury problems. Picture: AFL Photos

"Maybe I'd wished I'd changed it but ultimately, I think that's where the media were going to land regardless. 

"I wasn't having issues with mental health at this time. I was significantly physically unable because of my lack of pre-season and lack of desire to do the things I needed to do to perform at a high level, and that led me to being a hell of a long way to being back to playing my best footy, and I didn't feel like I wanted to get back there. 

"For a long period of time, I hadn't enjoyed it, and I tried to change a lot of stuff. 

"There's always that great quote from Einstein about what's the definition of insanity, doing the same thing and expecting different results, and at some point, I got to the stage where I was like 'It's not fair me going home to (girlfriend) Anna three out of four days not happy with footy. It's just not fair.'"

Boyd was drafted with the first overall selection in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft and was tipped to be a pillar of Greater Western Sydney's forward line in due time.

However, he sought a trade to the Dogs after one season, and put in a phenomenal display in the 2016 flag as the Dogs broke a 62-year premiership drought.

In July the following season, he took an indefinite break from football to receive treatment for depression, and just over a year later suffered a back injury that eventually ended his career.

He booted 50 goals in a career that spanned 61 games.