Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

[Mofra]

Smith is interesting right now.

On field - I think he's kind of at a 'buy low' point. Off field? He's at a 'Sell High' point. I think his value far exceeds his on-field performances but I'm not sure how you factor that into to footy 'trade' conversations with footy 'trade' people...

Anyway, the point I was coming too - and with no disrespect to supporters of other clubs - "WE" know Bailey the player better than most...I would have seen every game he has ever played at AFL level for instance and I'm sure I'm not alone. Some of his great stuff has been GREAT. But some other stuff...

I remember back when Dylan Shiel was going through his free-agency or whatever it was and moved to Essendon. There had been a few clubs interested in him and he ultimately signed an expensive deal with Essendon. Everyone seems to have a 'different' opinion of Shiel now but back then he was yet another 'talent' who the Giants couldn't keep and they were really going to miss him...the Bombers were lucky to have him.

There was little blow-back from the Giants - I had to admit it but they tend to play a straight bat with this stuff, wishing players well, thanking them for their service etc - but I remember one of their assistant coaches was interviewed and he went away from the script and quietly but pointedly said:
- "You guys do know that he sprays it a bit, right???"...

Shiel's career at Essendon has hit a number of road-blocks but none so strong as the general assessment that once he was forced to play a LEAD role - rather than be down the line from Kelly, Whitfield, Coniglio, Ward etc - his lack of disposal 'precision' really caused him to come unstuck.

I don't want to lose Smith. He is a good player and a highly marketable one who is good for 'US' as long as he wears the colours. From a pure footy POV though, he does 'spray it a bit' and there are short-comings in his game that could see us miss him less onfield than other supporters imagine we would.

All fair, but GWS has a pipeline of young mids and we have... crickets.
He can be off with his kicking, but is some of that vision/composure rather than skill?
He does have a huge workrate and that's valuable.

I dare say he'd be a far less critical player for us if we had talented, developing mids sitting underneath him. And we're likely to miss out on a top-end mid again this year

[Bullies]

My calculations are closer to 90.

English and Marra are the priorities. If Smith at 22 is cracking it with a premiership coach's assessment of where he best suits the team the maybe team isn't his focus.

Backing him to have a big year though and push his trade value right up. Out of contract sucks and as I've mentioned before you never let players go out of contract. Trade them prior if they won't commit, even if it's just one more year.

Agree I don't think the club will be able to compete with the bigger clubs as to what they can offer in regards to marketing. It is also in the interest of Connors where he gets a cut off 20% for all marketing deals and only 5% for playing contracts. The big clubs won't mind paying overs as they will be able to get it back in merchandising and sponsorship. Our priorities need to be those players who want to be there - Marra/English.

Lets hope Bailey has a big year to ensure we get some decent compensation and not the unders we got for Dunks. Unfortunately like it or not we are not a destination club or one of the Big 5 which makes it hard to retain the type of player/person Bailey is.

[angelopetraglia]

What do we make of Baz holidaying with a big group of Bulldogs players and sharing that all over social media in the last week or so. From what I can decipher from the photos, he is as happy about his abs as he is with teamates. That has to be a postive?

[ledge]

All the rubbish about him leaving etc and I see people having a go at him .
Remember it’s all media wanting clicks.
All we have heard from his Manager is he is happy .
Don’t fall into the trap of being a bombers supporter and saying they are great players then when rumours float around they are leaving all of a sudden it’s good riddance they were no good anyway.
He is a very good player and will get better because that’s his work ethic, we want a player like that around the club to keep others seeing how hard he works.
Let’s just calm the farm a bit , there is a lot of water to go under the bridge.

[hujsh]

What do we make of Baz holidaying with a big group of Bulldogs players and sharing that all over social media in the last week or so. From what I can decipher from the photos, he is as happy about his abs as he is with teamates. That has to be a postive?

Who's he with? Can't recognise anyone and one bloke looks like Charlie Curnow with the curly hair

[jazzadogs]

Who's he with? Can't recognise anyone and one bloke looks like Charlie Curnow with the curly hair

JJs wedding. Plenty of other dogs there.

Bedendo looked a bit like Curnow in one photo - but also Baz and Curnow do have a relationship as they are partners in the alcohol business. Curnow is bringing out his own version of Barry soon.

[GVGjr]

I suspect there is going to be an element of fatigue for our supporters with the will he or won't he go being a common theme.
That's just part of the Bailey Smith experience and we will have to wait it out.
Lets hope he gets back into some form in 2024.

[Axe Man]

Read something recently suggesting Baz was a bit of an outsider amongst the playing group so it is good to see him with many current and past players.

[The Pie Man]

All fair, but GWS has a pipeline of young mids and we have... crickets.
He can be off with his kicking, but is some of that vision/composure rather than skill?
He does have a huge workrate and that's valuable.

I dare say he'd be a far less critical player for us if we had talented, developing mids sitting underneath him. And we're likely to miss out on a top-end mid again this year

Unless Hawthorn take Watson and we take Sanders, who looks every bit an inside mid

[hujsh]

Jongy!

[soupman]

Gowers, Wood, Wallis and Webb other exes to make the cut

[hujsh]

Unless Hawthorn take Watson and we take Sanders, who looks every bit an inside mid

Yeah with the draft order as it is now could easily end up with Sanders or Curtin, both of whom could end up very good mids.

Watson might have a little bit of Daicos in him to get up the ground as needed watching one of his highlight videos (VICM vs WA) but is probably always going to be mostly a forward.

[Grantysghost]

Gowers, Wood, Wallis and Webb other exes to make the cut

Billy and Marra out on the turps.

Bali look out xD

[The Bulldogs Bite]

No Stringer at JJ's wedding?

[Twodogs]

No Stringer at JJ's wedding?

Maybe the current squeeze said no?