‘Shout from the rooftops’: Chris Scott gushes over Bailey Smith’s debut

There were question marks remaining over Bailey Smith’s Geelong debut, but the flashy blond star responded in some style.

The handbrake is officially off Bailey Smith, after the blond midfielder’s stunning debut for Geelong in a 78-point belting of Fremantle on Saturday.

Smith has endured a tumultuous 18 months, rupturing his ACL at training in December 2023 and missing the entire 2024 season as speculation swirled over his future at the Western Bulldogs.

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Moving to the Cattery as expected during last October’s trade period, Smith was named on the wing to make his debut against the Dockers at GMHBA Stadium.

There were some queries over his fitness after the 24-year-old warmed up with some major strapping on his surgically repaired left knee, with SuperCoach users scrambling to decide if he was worth a risk in round one.

There were some concerns over Bailey Smith pre-match. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

They need not have worried, however, with Smith dominating to the tune of 32 disposals, seven clearances, five tackles and a whopping 693 metres gained in the 23.9 (147) to 10.9 (69) triumph.

Donning a headband throughout, Smith capped it off with a goal late in the fourth quarter as he was mobbed by his teammates.

Coach Chris Scott, who had tried to dampen expectations during Smith’s return from injury, was now encouraging Geelong supporters to embrace the hype over the star recruit.

“I don’t think they (fans) should temper their expectations, I think they should be shouting it from the rooftops,” Scott said in his post-match press conference.

“It was more just the reality of the situation, if you miss a year of footy, it doesn’t matter if you’re Jeremy Cameron or a second-year player, it’s just hard work and there will likely be some ups-and-downs.”

But he answered any question marks in some style. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Smith, who has almost 350,000 followers on Instagram, has emerged as a popular yet polarising figure for his ability to grab headlines on and off the field in recent years.

But Scott said there is one element of Smith’s approach to footy that can never be questioned.

“Anyone that knows anything about him, would know that he couldn’t have prepared better,” he said.

“If anything, the risk with Bailey is he does too much.

”It’s a humble brag, like saying your biggest flaw in a job interview is you work too hard, you’re a workaholic, but he is.

“There was no doubt about the work, he was well and truly prepared physically.”

Chris Scott raved about his star recruit post-match. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The Cats were able to secure Smith along with pick 45 in the AFL Draft in exchange for their own picks 17 and 38 that went to the Dogs.

While Smith has shown great promise in his career to date, and couldn’t have done much more on Saturday, most feel his best football is still ahead of him.

And Scott said the club is taking a very long-term view with the 185cm, 86kg talent.

“I think I’ve tried to temper expectations a little bit, even with him,” Scott said.

“Not because we didn’t think he could play the way he did (against Fremantle). We always thought that was a strong possibility.

“But we’ve got a bigger focus, a longer-term focus.

Murphy Reid had his own an eye-popping debut for the Dockers. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

“He’s going to have his moments after missing a year of footy, but we’re much more focused on what he’s going to be over a 10-to-15 year period than this game or next game.”

After the Cats opened up a 54-point lead at halftime, it seemed their first victory of the season was a formality.

But Fremantle’s own debutant, Murphy Reid, inspired some belief in his team as the 18-year-old Victorian enjoyed a remarkable chain of four goals in six minutes to atone for the Dockers’ horrid first half.

That run allowed the visitors to close within 21 points at three-quarter-time.

Smith greeting fans after the round one victory, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

But the Cats’ class rose to the fore in the final term, kicking away with 10 final quarter goals to start their season on a winning – albeit – delayed note after last week’s postponed opening round fixture to Brisbane.

Fans were keen to pay Smith some credit after a debut that surely exceeded all expectations.

“3 votes in his first game in the hoops is a fairly handy effort,” one footy fan wrote on X.

“Unreal comeback baz,” said another.

“Bailey Smith wowee. Way to announce yourself to the Cats family! What a belting as well,” added a third.

Geelong faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium next week, with the Dockers hosting the Swans at Optus Stadium.

– with NewsWire

Originally published as ‘Shout from the rooftops’: Chris Scott gushes over Bailey Smith’s debut