Bailey Hayward is quickly making a name for himself in the NRL, but for many rugby league fans, his surname brings back memories of one of the sport’s most infamous tales.
The 23-year-old Bulldogs half is the grandson of Paul Hayward, a former Newtown Jets star whose fall from grace saw him spend more than a decade in Thailand’s notorious Bang Kwang prison.
Paul Hayward was a gritty five-eighth and boxer who was selected for the 1976 Montreal Olympics before becoming a professional footballer.
But in 1978, his life changed forever when he was arrested in Bangkok with 8.4kg of heroin. He was sentenced to 20 years and would serve 11, enduring unimaginable conditions before receiving a royal pardon in 1989.
Hayward’s story was also tied to one of Australia’s most notorious criminal figures, murderer and armed robber Neddy Smith.
The footy star was Smith’s brother-in-law, and the other Aussie who was busted and imprisoned with Hayward, Warren Fellows, stating that Smith organised the heroin deal.
Paul Hayward was a star rugby league player and boxer before he was throw into a notorious Thai jail for drug trafficking
Hayward’s grandson Bailey is making his own mark on the NRL with the Canterbury Bulldogs
Bailey, born long after Paul’s release, has heard the stories.
‘I don’t know too much about him beyond what I’ve been told,’ he told the SMH.
‘But it is a proud past for us, him playing for Newtown. I’ve only heard good things about him as a fella.’
Bailey’s rise has been steady and grounded. After a standout Jersey Flegg season and two appearances for Scotland in the World Cup, he made his NRL debut in 2024.
‘It’s been surreal, the past few weeks,’ Bailey said at the time.
‘Making my NRL debut is what you dream of as a kid. I’m just trying to train hard and make the most of every opportunity.’
He’s also become a leader among the Bulldogs’ younger crop.
During a 2023 army-style training camp, former elite tactical officers ranked him among the top leaders, even before his first-grade debut.
Bailey, a talented young playmaker in his own right, has deputised for the injured Matt Burton
His grandfather Paul (pictured) was also a skilled five-eighth with the Newtown Jets at the peak of his powers
‘Every single one of them wrote down Bailey Hayward’s name,’ coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
‘That was a real peek into what we’re seeing now on the paddock.’
In recent weeks, with premiership winner and NSW Origin star Matt Burton sidelined, Bailey has taken over at five-eighth and impressed with his defence, kicking game and calm leadership.
His story is not just one of talent, but of resilience. Bailey briefly stepped away from footy at 18, working as a surveyor.
‘That little break was good for me,’ he said. ‘I missed it quickly and realised straight away that footy was what I always wanted to do.’
Bailey’s sporting pedigree doesn’t end with his grandfather. His sister Paige plays in the A-League Women after several years in the US college system.
‘She’s always kicking goals,’ Bailey said. ‘She wanted to play league when she was younger, but Dad wouldn’t let her.’
The Hayward family has experienced both triumph and hardship. Paul’s wife Gail, Bailey’s grandmother, raised three children on her own while Paul was incarcerated.
Bailey has grown up hearing all the stories about his grandfather, who died shortly after he was released from prison
Paul Hayward is one of the biggest stories of wasted potential in Australian rugby league history after he was caught with 8.4kg of heroin in Thailand in 1978
Bailey is looking to forge his own name in the NRL and is making his mark with the undefeated Bulldogs
‘It was tough for Nan, too, but she’s played a massive part in not just my footy career, but my life as well,’ Bailey said. ‘She never missed a game. I’m very proud of her and very grateful.’
Paul Hayward’s story is one of lost potential. In Bang Kwang, where 25 to 35 men shared a cement cell with straw mats and a bucket for a toilet, he held onto hope of seeing his family again.
‘I often think I’m going mad,’ he told Rugby League Week magazine during a prison visit. ‘But when I get really depressed I tell myself, ‘don’t crack up, you can do it.’
He described dreams of seeing his wife Gail and children again including the daughter he had never met, Belinda, who was born after his arrest.
Fellow inmate Warren Fellows described how the two were allegedly framed inside jail for heroin possession, extending their sentences. Both denied ever selling drugs.
Hayward’s time inside was marked by mental strength and longing. ‘I know I’ve done wrong, I know it. But it’s not fair on my family,’ he said.
He held onto the hope of a royal pardon, which eventually came as part of King Bhumibol’s 60th birthday celebrations.
Paul Hayward died in 1992, aged 38, after overdosing on heroin at his family home.
Now, decades on, Bailey is determined to write a new chapter for the Hayward name.
Canterbury legend Josh Reynolds has known the family for years. ‘We came through the same junior club, St George Dragons,’ he said. ‘It’s been a long time since the Bulldogs had a crop of local juniors, but guys like Bailey are changing that.’
Bailey knows the weight of history but carries it with quiet pride. ‘It was a famous story,’ he said of his grandfather’s past. ‘But I wasn’t alive for it.’
Instead, he’s focused on the future—his own, and that of a club rebuilding on grit, identity, and local pride.
And like his grandfather once did in the old Bluebag jersey, Bailey Hayward is making sure the name stands for toughness, resilience, and heart.
