Cats legend Fred Wooller on his encounter with Geelong’s new number 3 Bailey Smith
Fred Wooller remains blissfully unaware of Bailey Smith’s social media power, but he does know what he brings to the Cats on the field, even if he didn’t think Smith was that good at the Bulldogs.
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Fred Wooller is an 86-year-old gentleman who remains blissfully unaware of Instagram and the like, while Bailey Smith is a 24-year-old social media phenomenon with 364,000 followers.
On the surface they would appear to have little in common, yet the number three has begun an unlikely friendship built on mutual respect. Wooller, who played 132 games for Geelong from 1956-64, explains.
JON ANDERSON: How did you meet Bailey Smith?
FRED WOOLLER: The club kindly invited me down to present the number three jumper to Bailey. He took me on a tour all around the place. He was very interested in my time at the club which surprised me a little. He was very respectful to my wife Pat and I. When I was going up the stairs with my walking stick, he was the first there to help me.
JA: Would you call him generous of spirit?
FW: When we met he wanted Pat and I to fly up to Brisbane for the round 3 game. He was quite insistent, saying “why don’t you come up mate?”, but it was just a step too far for us. But he wouldn’t know how much it meant. Jimmy Bartel, who is the club’s greatest No. 3, had told me what a good young man Bailey is.
JA: Is it normal for young players to recognise past champions?
FW: You would have to ask the Gary Abletts and players like that because I wasn’t a champion, just someone lucky enough to captain a side in 1963 that won the flag. But the short answer is no. And I know of another two players from the 1960s that he has approached to speak with. That comes down to the way he was raised.
JA: Were you fully aware of his football ability?
FW: I didn’t think he was as good as that when he played at Footscray, to be honest, although Jimmy Bartel told me he was very, very good. He has brought so much run, spread and vitality, plus he always seems to be able to get his kick despite being tackled.
JA: Do you keep a special eye on those who wear No. 3?
FW: I have always followed the players who wear three, Doug Palmer handing it down to me. Ken Newland, Peter Johnston, Mark Bairstow, Adam Houlihan, Jimmy Bartel and Brandan Parfitt have worn it with pride since.
JA: Who is your favourite Geelong player?
FW: In recent years I have become very friendly with Joel Selwood, initially through being both premiership captains. He and I are the proud owners of Geelong jumpers signed by premiership captains Fred Flanagan, me, Tom Harley, Cameron Ling and Joel, spanning 75 years. I value our relationship very dearly and I see him as the most influential person in the history of our club.
LEGENDS GATHER TO HONOUR A LEGEND
An extreme collection of players who played with or were coached by Robert Walls attended his funeral on Thursday.
B: Gary Pert, Stephen Silvagni, Geoff Southby.
HB: Bruce Doull, Alastair Lynch, David McKay.
C: Craig Bradley, Craig Lambert, David Rhys-Jones.
HF: Nathan Buckley, Stephen Kernahan, Trevor Keogh.
F: Syd Jackson, Bernie Quinlan, Peter Jones.
R: John Nicholls, Michael Voss, Garry Wilson.
WHO REPLACES GOYDER?
When searching for a new AFL Commission chairman after Richard Goyder is finally replaced, presumably dragged kicking and screaming, look no further than former Collingwood president Jeff Browne.
The good mail suggests the gig is Browne’s, if he agrees, with a trip on a 75-day cruise later this year giving him plenty of think time. If not then ex-Sydney boss Andrew Pridham is said to be next.
BAILEY WINS THE BATTLE, WHAT ABOUT THE WAR?
Bailey Smith’s hair ruffle of Bulldogs opponent James O’Donnell on Thursday has the potential to backfire.
Just ask those Collingwood players from 1990 who never forgot West Coast enforcer John Worsfold clapping Darren Millane from the ground in round 1 of that season. The Magpies used that memory as motivation on the way to the flag and famously beat West Coast in a qualifying final replay to get there.
GOUT GOUT’S STAWELL BLUNDER
Did an equipment decision have an adverse effect on Gout Gout’s chances at this year’s Stawell Gift?
Word is his coach Di Sheppard insisted he not wear the long spikes (he wore 4mm instead of 15mm/18mm) favoured by other athletes to help combat the wet conditions, fearing they may impact his gait. One seasoned watcher reasoned it cost him up to 4m, or potentially the race.
HOT
NIC MARTIN
How can you be this good and still get overlooked in drafts?
SHANNON NEALE
When the marks really stick, this athlete is going to be a serious handful.
NOT
UK JOURNOS
Vulture-like parasites who didn’t get what they wanted from Ange.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Never at a lower ebb and devoid of any obvious personality.
Originally published as Cats legend Fred Wooller on his encounter with Geelong’s new number 3 Bailey Smith
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