AFL 2022: Bailey Smith to return from suspensions
The Western Bulldogs have had a disappointing period without Bailey Smith, and coach Luke Beveridge has offered him some advice upon his return.
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Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will make a direct return to senior level this weekend after four weeks sidelined through suspensions, with his coach admitting there will be an element of seeking redemption with his teammates after his controversial month.
Smith, 21, has been forcibly out of the Bulldogs line-up after successive two-week bans for headbutting and conduct unbecoming respectively after photographs and video from 2021 emerged of him taking an illicit drug.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE REASONS BEHIND DOGS’ DEMISE
The young gun is “in a good headspace” in the wake of the drama, according to coach Luke Beveridge.
But while he conceded there may be an urge to repay his teammates for his absence in a rollercoaster few weeks that included consecutive heavy losses, Beveridge has encouraged the star Dog to recognize the line between attack and going too far.
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“I did say to him – let’s make sure that you let your football do the talking,” Beveridge said.
“I’m sure that he will.
“He’s proud and he’s combative, but there’s a line that you can’t cross. It’s not an issue for him and his game, but we’ve seen it before where he’ll stand up for himself and his teammates and it’s just the way he’s built. Hopefully he regulates his own energies in that regard.”
Beveridge said that Smith had been committed to his training over his enforced break from playing but that he had to strike a balance.
“Bailey’s the type of competitor that turns up early to games and winds himself up and absolutely wants to be the best player out there for his club and his teammates,” he said.
“It almost flies in the face of trying to take the edge off and creating some calmness in your life – he’s just a fierce competitor.
“My conversation with him was more around discipline, and making sure he plays his best footy within the rules and we don’t lose him again how we have.
“I can’t speak for him, but the way he thinks, he really cares about his club and his team and his teammates. I think there’d be an element of (wanting to repay them for his missteps) as he goes into this game, that he wants to definitely help us win this game and maybe off the back of the last few weeks, which have been pretty lean for us … he’ll feel like he could have made a difference.
“That’ll be part of his thinking, I’d imagine.”
Josh Bruce kicked four goals in the VFL last weekend and took part in the team’s main training session on Wednesday morning, but Beveridge said there was still a decision to make on whether the forward would play against his former side St Kilda.
“It’s not great timing – a five day break after a state league game,” he said.
“But he seems like he’s come through that game and he’s healthy and so he should be available for selection. There’s every chance his name will be added to the teamsheet (on Thursday).”
Five things that have caused Dogs’ fall from grace
— Scott Gullan
It‘s the biggest question in football right now: What has happened to the Western Bulldogs?
Last year‘s grand finalists have become boring, average and are not far away from being irrelevant.
This was one of the most exciting teams in the game 12 months ago. So where has it all gone wrong?
There doesn‘t seem to be one main obvious place to point the finger at, more a build-up of various things which have conspired to have the blowtorch pointing Luke Beveridge’s way.
When he brought the club its second premiership in 2016, the thought of that man ever feeling any pressure at the Whitten Oval was laughable. The job for life was the call as a dynasty awaited.
A decent premiership hangover was a problem for a couple of years but when the Dogs led by 19 points midway through the third quarter of last year‘s grand final against Melbourne – after another heroic march through September – the Bevo magic was back.
Maybe he‘s lost his wand because all is not well out west with the next month set to answer a lot of questions.
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The Bulldogs are currently a game outside the eight – they face St Kilda on Friday night who are one spot ahead of them in ninth – and then play the top three teams over the next three weeks.
There are different ways to look at what has happened. Are they just purely having one of those years where nothing goes right? Is it just a loss of confidence? Or are they a fractured football club?
Here are five issues haunting the Bulldogs:
1. DEFENCE
The stats over the past five weeks are embarrassing. The Dogs are ranked either 16th, 17th or 18th in categories such as points against, opposition scores per inside 50 and points against from turnovers. Personnel wise Ryan Gardner is limited, Alex Keath is banged up and asked to do too much, Bailey Williams has lost confidence while recruit Tim O‘Brien has been a bust and was dropped last week.
They have no intercept markers anymore – Easton Wood’s retirement has cut deep – but the real issues are further up the field with the highly-rated midfield.
“You can‘t defend when you’re all out offence in the midfielder. Last year they had total control of the ball around the contest so they could protect some issues down back but they don’t have that this year,” one rival club analyst said.
2. JOSH BRUCE
Bruce has become a better player by not playing. There is no doubt his presence helps relieve the pressure on Aaron Naughton and in his absence the Dogs have managed to scrape together enough decent scores, particularly thanks to the work of Cody Weightman, but it‘s not sustainable in big games against the top teams.
3. SUPPORT
Losing long-time assistant Steven King was a blow the Dogs knew was coming but they were blindsided with highly rated Ashley Hansen went to Carlton. They were then late into the market for replacements with the inexperienced Matt Spangher and Marc Webb struggling to fill the void. All of this has added further pressure on Beveridge who had previously been accused of micromanaging.
4. ABSENCE
Every club has players missing but the Dogs have had it happen to the wrong people. Bailey Smith getting caught doing drugs and headbutting people hurt big time as did Lachie Hunter taking time away from the game. Ruckman Tim English having a number of concussion breaks, Jason Johannisen missing half the season, and Taylor Duryea‘s recent knee injury have all impacted continuity.
5. LEWIS YOUNG
Lewis Young has turned into Geoff Southby since he left but what can‘t be ignored is why the Dogs let a 201cm defender go who they’d put five years of development into. Selection has been an issue for a number of years with blind faith shown to players who many wouldn’t think deserve it – think the patience given to the likes of Josh Schache, Roarke Smith, Anthony Scott and Robbie McComb.
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