Bailey Smith’s move from the Western Bulldogs to Geelong appears inevitable, but a sight during preliminary final weekend raised more than a few eyebrows. The Bulldogs recently confirmed Smith would be seeking a trade away from the club this off-season, with Geelong widely considered the frontrunner for his services. Watch every game of the NAB AFL Women’s Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo.
New to Kayo? Start your free trial today > Smith has proven to be one of the competition’s most damaging young midfielders when fit and firing but hasn’t been seen for over a year after rupturing his ACL. His form for the Bulldogs in the 2021 finals series elevated him to one of the best young players in the AFL, while his popularity on social media knows no bounds. Smith is out of contract at the end of this season, but the sight of him sitting in Geelong’s camp in the MCG crowd for last weekend’s preliminary final against Brisbane has reportedly ruffled some feathers.
The 23-year-old was spotted sitting next to a founder of clothing brand Cotton On, and in the same area of retiring Cats forward Tom Hawkins. Smith is an ambassador for Cotton On, which is Geelong’s major sponsor. Veteran journalist Caroline Wilson said on Nine’s Footy Classified on Tuesday: “What’s your view of Bailey Smith watching the game with the Geelong camp? “It didn’t go down too well with the Western Bulldogs when this photo appeared on social media.
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