Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

[jeemak]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

News editors - Hopefully he's really mentally ill this week so we can get optimal mileage out of these unnecessary and unhelpful articles........or something.

[mjp]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

"...probably 16 clubs...".

WHAT-EVVVAAAAA.

(And what a crock).

A player like Smith with his on-field potential/off-field appeal is a targeted recruit. You don't just wake up and say "Wow, Kane Cornes is saying Bailey Smith isn't playing well...just let me pull $800Kpa out of my butt and give his manager a call"...

Do the reporters think we're stupid? 16-clubs called his manager to talk about Bailey Smith in 'a couple of days'? You're just talking rubbish - go away.

The Geelong piece? There could be something there around the connection to Cotton On but it seems to me Bailey has got all of Cotton On's money WITHOUT playing for Geelong so a change of club wont really get him more from them...unless he was to move to Sydney as the face of the AFL in NSW now that Buddy is moving on...THAT is something that would be genuinely concerning.

[meenies]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Bevo spoke well; was fairly reserved but got the key points across.

Anyone else linked Bevo's reserved comments about "whoever's looking after him" (6:30) and not doing what's best for Baz with the Sam Edmund report?

[Grantysghost]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

News editors - Hopefully he's really mentally ill this week so we can get optimal mileage out of these unnecessary and unhelpful articles........or something.

Oh Jee so sad but true.

Then they can write articles about his mental health battles and tag it with the support numbers.

Filth.

[Bornadog]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Truth is all our young guns would be targeted. English, Naughton, JUH, Smith, Cody, Bailey Dale

It is up to Power and Bevo to keep them happy and sell the club and future and mates sticking together.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Meh. Won’t waste time on it, which is the aim of the nonsense.

[azabob]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

The Geelong piece? There could be something there around the connection to Cotton On but it seems to me Bailey has got all of Cotton On's money WITHOUT playing for Geelong so a change of club wont really get him more from them...unless he was to move to Sydney as the face of the AFL in NSW now that Buddy is moving on...THAT is something that would be genuinely concerning.

I called out the Smith and Sydney link mid last year. Not that we can prove it by looking at history. It makes sense on so many levels from a marketing front, non footy state, Sydney just get stuff done behind the scenes.

[Axe Man]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Bailey Smith linked with trade from Western Bulldogs amid form slump

Bailey Smith may be flat with his new role.

Only two years ago when he blazed eight goals in the 2021 finals series we were all weighing up the jet onballer?s claims as one of the most exciting players in the competition.

Was he or Sam Walsh the best talent from the 2018 draft?

Smith, with the chiselled frame plastered across Melbourne billboards, was the next big thing. The exhilarating run, the scoreboard impact. That flowing mullet.

But as Western Bulldogs attempt to hang on to their place in the eight on Thursday night against Sydney Swans at the SCG, Smith?s form is on the slide.

More than that, his name has emerged as shock trade bait. Mark Robinson posed the question on Sunday, that maybe Smith needed a new club and environment.

SEN said on Wednesday Geelong was chasing him.

Coach Luke Beveridge would have had a fit, after trying desperately to shut the whole thing down on Tuesday, clearly annoyed his match winner was a discussion point.

But on Wednesday the noise went in to overdrive as the Bulldogs boarded the plane to Sydney to take on the Swans at the SCG without Smith, who is sick.

Smith would have to be a bit frustrated he is being parked on a forward flank, out of the action, on starvation corner.

According to Champion Data he has played 79 per cent forward over the past month and on Friday night he had 11 disposals after a late burst in the middle.

He was genuinely sick, and still is, the club says, which is fair enough. A concession perhaps he should not have played.

But how does one of the club?s best young players go from superstar in the making to trade bait?

His disposals (down by an average five a game), and score involvements (two a game) have spiralled this year, but he remains a match winner.

THE SMITH CONUNDRUM
When does his contract expire?
2024
What would he command in a trade?
A top-six draft pick
How do Cats get it?
Secure it from Gold Coast in a trade involving the Cats first and second-round picks
What could Bulldogs get with pick six?
Contracted defender Tom Barrass from West Coast

While his impact has waned,and it might come as a blow to his ego, coaches say that is exactly what has to be parked in the selfless and relentless chase for a premiership.

It?s exactly what Taylor Adams has done at Collingwood. Christian Petracca was lauded for making the move at Melbourne against St Kilda last weekend.

Smith can do that. He can also run, and that?s why Beveridge would be putting him in arguably the hardest position on the field. To get on his bike.

The forward flankers need to be huge runners, like Geelong?s Gryan Miers, who can make the sprint up and down the field all day long.

Perhaps it is not easy to do that heavy lifting if you are a big possession-winner and aren?t used to watching others get the big lick of the ice cream, but would Smith really want to break his contract this year?

Perhaps he could reconsider when his deal expires next season.

The Dogs wouldn?t entertain it this year without a blockbuster return, such as a top-six draft pick.

Maybe a prime key defender, such as West Coast?s Tom Barrass, would suit to help replace an Alex Keath or Ryan Gardner.

Gold Coast is looking to off-load pick six, which theoretically provides an opportunity for the Cats to land an early selection as part of a hypothetical deal, but there are more ifs here than a discussion about what the Reserve Bank will do.

If Geelong is keen on Smith, it?s not what the club said on Wednesday. But trade moves by nature are a secret business at the best of times. Denials happen. Heaps of them.

The Dogs do have a jet backman coming through the ranks anyway, as Sam Darcy looks like a special talent.

He will be back in the team intercepting in the back half as soon as he is physically ready after a serious lung problem.

Smith will miss Thursday night?s clash against the Swans due to illness, and is expected back against Essendon in a blockbuster Friday night clash next week.

Finals spots will be on the line. The spotlight will be on Smith. And the position he plays.

Former Western Bulldogs and Richmond star Nathan Brown said the Bulldogs must return Smith to the engine room, where he produces his best footy.

?They have got it wrong where they are playing him,? Brown said on Triple M.

?He is a running machine and you have just got to let him loose, whether it is off half back or on the wing, he is a midfielder.

?He will play that role (forward) OK because he has been asked to play it.

?He didn?t play it well the other night because he had just had a poor game.

?But they are playing him in the wrong position.?

[Grantysghost]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Ok that's a more informed article.

This is where the Treloar deal comes into question.

Lipinski defintely left due to that, now Baz has been pushed out by him.

We need to get on top of this quickly.

If he needs a change... Maybe play him in the guts.

We don't know the full story. I've got some insight, however it's certainly not a major issue.

We screw the pooch here I'll cry.

[jeemak]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

What role was he playing when he starred for us in the 2021 finals?

[Axe Man]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

What role was he playing when he starred for us in the 2021 finals?

I could be wrong but I thought it was pretty much the same one he is now struggling with and apparently being played out of position? We had Treloar plus Dunkley back then so I don't recall a great deal of midfield minutes on offer for him.

[D Mitchell]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

When Smith was recruited, I read, perhaps heard, somewhere, that he (Smith) reported that he still went to Sunday Mass and liked the discipline of it, that might even have been in his former school's magazine. I pictured a well groomed, introspective stoic of impeccable manner and politeness. Make of that what you will. Whatever, you can't fault his work rate, tenacity, pace and never-say-die. It's just occurred to me, maybe that's why Bev plays him at half forward, as an example. This is a bloke who's already starred in a finals series, at worst, appears to be going through a bad patch. Stringer, Dahlhaus, Lipinski, Dunkley, even Roughead haven't embarrassed us, Smith would. There's no way I'd even consider releasing him.

[jeemak]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

I could be wrong but I thought it was pretty much the same one he is now struggling with and apparently being played out of position? We had Treloar plus Dunkley back then so I don't recall a great deal of midfield minutes on offer for him.

Yeah that's what I thought.

So essentially we should change his role by keeping it exactly the same........

You could argue that Daniel could make to allow more midfield time for him.


Anyway, I'm firmly in the hold him to his contract camp. He owes us plenty.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

Barass for Bailey Smith. Doesn’t seem equal as being put forward here.

For overs, sure I’d at least hear the argument out. But Smith for Barass isn’t overs by a long shot. The offer needs to be overs, or he stays.

[Mofra]

Re: Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

I called out the Smith and Sydney link mid last year. Not that we can prove it by looking at history. It makes sense on so many levels from a marketing front, non footy state, Sydney just get stuff done behind the scenes.

For a guy who (famously) was going to go untouched by any of the non-Vic clubs?
I guess things change - Dunks was only going to Sydney if a non-Vic club picked him at the draft - but the AFL would need to kick in one hell of an ambassador payment.

I'm more concerned at the Sydney approach to Naughton. They have history.