Western Bulldogs gun Bailey Smith stirs the pot with comment

Bailey Smith has poured fuel on his burning trade drama with fans up in arms over a comment shared on Instagram.

Bailey Smith is not ducking for cover as his trade storm continues to rage.

The Bulldogs gun has nominated Geelong as his preferred club and seemingly holds all the power as he heads into 2025 without a contract.

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The 23-year-old has reportedly ruffled feathers at the Dogs with one foot out the door despite remaining on the club’s books. He was also seen sitting next to a founder of clothing brand Cotton On, and in the same area of retiring Cats forward Tom Hawkins during the AFL finals series last month.

Smith is an ambassador for Cotton On, which is Geelong’s major sponsor.

A comment he made on Instagram on Thursday has now raised eyebrows as he responded to an angry Bulldogs fans’ comment on a photo he shared.

“Can’t believe you want to leave doggies,” the Instagram user wrote.

“What makes you so sure you going to succeed with another team. Well if you are going to another team, I hope we win the finals next year. Too bad then right?”

Smith responded: “Depends what ur definition of success is love”.

Bailey Smith took the bait. Photo: Instagram, @bazlenka.

Smith has come under fire for the comment.

One fan on the Reddit AFL forum posted: “Doggies have dodged a bullet with him gone, absolute joke. Goodluck next season mates”.

Another posted: “If by success you mean having guaranteed career in fashion by the club sponsor, then, yes, he has succeeded”.

Another wrote: “If your definition of success isn’t premierships then you’ve chosen the wrong career”.

Others have defended Smith.

“I don’t understand what the problem is, he’s not wrong. Aside from winning a premiership there are many measures of success and everyone’s are different,” one Reddit user wrote.

Another wrote: “Im not a doggies fan and I kinda think everyone’s reading it wrong. I think he just means happiness is succes”.

The situation is far from over.

It was reported this week the deal between the Cats and Dogs may go down to the trade deadline next week with the two clubs nowhere near reaching an agreement.

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.

The mystery about what form Smith will be able to recapture next year has further clouded the value of the former No. 7 draft pick.

It’ll be an interesting week. Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Bailey Smith will have a new home one way or another.

Speaking on Fox Footy’s Trading Day on Tuesday night, The Herald Sun’s Jay Clark said Geelong views Smith’s current value at no more than a first-round pick.

“The Dogs want more than the Cats’ first-round pick for Bailey Smith,” Clark begun by saying.

“That’s based on his 2021 form, he’s an elite athlete and highly marketable. His football in 2021 was scintillating, but the Cats are on the other side of the trade table.

“They’re saying: ‘We want to give pick 17, and pick 17 only.’”

It has even been speculated Smith and Geelong would be prepared to take the aggressive approach and go through the draft.

No rival clubs have reportedly spoken to Smith’s management and it would be nothing short of shocking if a third club moved to pick Smith before Geelong would get a chance to with the club’s No. 17 draft pick.

If a trade for Smith cannot be agreed upon, the midfielder would need to essentially delist himself from the Bulldogs in order to be eligible as a player in this year’s draft.

Originally published as Western Bulldogs gun Bailey Smith stirs the pot with comment