‘There’s a level of when you outgrow a place, or you just need a fresh change for whatever reason’
The star midfielder has spoken out about how he “outgrew” the Western Bulldogs and how he’s trying to fall in love with footy again.
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Bailey Smith has revealed the real reasons for wanting to depart the Western Bulldogs, with his manager saying it’s still up in the air where he will land.
The star midfielder, speaking on a panel at the EJ Whitten Grand Final Legends Lunch organised by RULE prostate cancer, revealed he fell out of love with the game but has regained his passion after injuring his knee.
“You never know, I still love the club that’s what people forget,’’ Smith said of the Bulldogs.
“But there’s a level of when you outgrow a place, or you just need a fresh change for whatever reason. I still love them, they’re still my mates. I won’t get too deep into it. I feel like I’d be doing myself a disservice for the player I want to become and the person I want to become by staying in the same environment but we’ll see.”
Smith’s manager Paul Connors said when asked if Geelong was the preferred destination: “Amazingly we’re still working through that.”
Smith, 23, said he’d started having a kick with his Dad and with former footy star turned commentator Dale Thomas.
“I could sort of resent all the headlines I’ve had, all the not so good stuff I’ve done, or the pressure that comes with the way you have to look, all that sort of shit, but it’s also made me learn to value less superficial stuff,’’ he said.
“The whole AFL player image stuff and just learn to love the game. I just go for a kick during the week and just learn to love footy at its barest. I kick the footy with my dad and try to fall in love with the game again because I did fall out of love with it for a bit.
“And it’s taken an injury to really, really love it and miss it again because it can get clouded by everything that’s happening.”
Smith spoke on a panel alongside Connors, Gerard Whateley and Ben Cousins, with current Bulldogs board member Luke Darcy hosting.
Darcy admitted it was heartbreaking to lose a player of Smith’s ability.
“It’s heartbreaking, it is because there’s a lot of love for Bailey,’’ he said.
“When you see Bailey come into the room and he’s got so much respect and love. We understand the way the system works … the AFL want players to move.”
He joked: “If I was doing the deal Jeremy Cameron and two first round picks (in exchange). But he is a young superstar the most marketable player in the game.”
Smith, who has the most followers on Instagram of any AFL player, said he wants to be known for his footy.
“I’ve probably struggled with it (attention) because first and foremost I love football and that’s what I want to be known for,’’ he said.
“And people see all the shit I put out on Instagram and all that stuff, that’s the one thing that does get me up in the morning and makes me tick is the game itself and training. That’s my mission in next 10-12 years is to really leave my legacy … that’s getting a bit too deep … but to be more football oriented than all the stuff that’s been thrown up so far.”
More than 500 guests attended the lunch, including Jo Silvagni, Steve Hooker, Michael Christian, Titus O’Reily and the second panel members Leigh Matthews, Erin Phillips, Ray Chamberlain and Laura Kane.
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Originally published as ‘There’s a level of when you outgrow a place, or you just need a fresh change for whatever reason’
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