Bailey Smith hits the right note at Geelong but he is no showstopper
Bailey Smith could easily have coasted along against Essendon on the weekend. He could have racked up a few dozen disposals for Geelong and saved his hamstrings for the far more onerous challenge of Brisbane this Friday. But that's not how he's wired. Everything is at full throttle. There is not a lot of craft or guile to how he plays. He simply runs the opposition into the ground. With apologies to Shane Crawford and Robert Harvey, he runs harder than any footballer I can remember.
Prior to his knee injury at Western Bulldogs, Smith had been gradually squeezed out of favour. The coach Luke Beveridge didn't quite know what to do with him. The fanbase was increasingly frustrated with him. He was a hard footballer to place. He was a subdued, resentful figure.
Advertisement
Related: From the Pocket: Australian football is notably richer when it's open to everyone
The ACL in many ways clarified things. Smith was barely at the club during rehab. 'A lonely, shitty period,' he called it. He was training on his own. He led an interesting social life. Relationships with teammates and the coach were fractured, perhaps forever. The Dogs were in an early season rut and he was swanning about with his shirt off in the European summer. Understandably, it rubbed a few of them up the wrong way. They'd protected him and tolerated him. Now he was singing off with a very strange Instagram post; 'To those praying for my downfall, thank you.'
It was probably best for everyone that he left. The Bulldogs and Cats are two very different midfields, and Smith and his coach ultimately struggled to find his right fit. Beveridge was overloaded with midfielders, and the Cats were crying out for one. His personality and his game wasn't suited to being a fourth or fifth stringer.
Since changing clubs, so many ridiculous things have been said and written about Smith. Here's Steve Crawley, the managing director of Fox Sports, speaking to The Age recently; 'Big-time sports need show-stoppers like Bailey Smith. Think [David] Beckham. Think Pat Cash at 18 with the bandana, Tiger Woods, think David Warner. Mortals are OK, but superheroes are better. He is Shane Warne-like.'
Advertisement
I mean, just settle yourself down! Smith isn't really a showstopper at all. He's a grinder. He's an accumulator. He's a death-by-a-thousand-cuts footballer. And clearly, if a recent podcast is any indication, he's caught between being Crawley's 'superhero' and the frankly pretty boring life of a professional footballer – eat, sleep, train, sauna, cold plunge, rack up 41 touches, repeat.
Some of the language Smith used on the Real Stuff podcast would be familiar to anyone who suffers extreme anxiety – 'obsessive', 'perfectionist', and so on. As early as year 10 at school, he had injuries from overtraining and even a bout of pneumonia he says was caused by stress. In every article I read about Smith, the word 'complex' bobs up. We write about him like he's Hamlet. But in this interview, I simply heard a young man who's still figuring out who he is, who needs to be well managed, who's still learning how to manage himself. To his credit, he called out a lot of the analysis of the game, calling it 'toxic'.
It can only help that he got out of Melbourne. If ever someone needed a bit of peace and quiet, it's him. It would be ever better if he got off his phone. But of course, that's the great paradox of his life. He has built his brand on that phone. Other influencers or fitness models of a similar social media reach would encounter all sorts of negativity and trolling. But there are many different layers when it comes to what Smith would cop – 17 supporter bases willing him to fail, a governing body that will fine him without hesitation, imbeciles screaming at him from over the fence, taggers, his former club, and an entire industry of analysis shows designed to pick apart, scold and rein him in.
Related: Bailey Smith embraces the big stage as Geelong hold nerve in another Easter classic | Jonathan Horn
Advertisement
With Bailey Smith, it has always been about something else other than football. It has always been about the brand, the monkey mind, the fireside chats, the abs, the smartassery, the sculptural miracle of the hair, the petty offences. However, he has been an outstanding footballer at Geelong. He resembles Fabio and still occasionally kicks like him, but given the frantic, full pelt way his new team seeks to play, the odd stray kick isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Watching someone like Scott Pendlebury play footy is like settling into a pair of old slippers. Watching Smith is very different. The hyperactivity of his game can make it seem as though he is constantly on the verge of blowing up, of running out of batteries. You worry about him but there he is, moving like a shovel snouted lizard, notching up his 41st possession, and moving into Brownlow medal favouritism.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Australian opener Konstas says he has 'come a long way'
Australia's Sam Konstas says he has 'come a long way' since his explosive Test debut against India (Saeed KHAN) Teenage opener Sam Konstas said Saturday he had "come a long way" from his combative debut against India after winning his place back for Australia's opening Test against the West Indies. The 19-year-old made headlines in the Melbourne Boxing Day Test last year when he took on fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah to make a blazing debut 60 with a slew of unorthodox shots. Advertisement But he only lasted one more Test before being jettisoned with some pundits seeing his batting as "reckless". With a struggling Marnus Labuschagne dropped for the opening Test in Barbados on June 25 and Steve Smith out nursing an injured finger, Konstas has another chance, confirmed as a certain starter. "The emotions probably got to me with the crowd," Konstas, who has his Test cap No.468 tattooed on his forearm, said of his explosive Boxing Day knock. "I've been trying to focus on a few key areas with my batting coach, and I feel like I've come a long way, so hopefully I can display that in the next few Test matches." Advertisement Konstas is set to open alongside Usman Khawaja, 19 years his senior, with an opportunity to cement the position as his own. Since David Warner retired some 18 months ago, Australia have tried five openers, including Konstas, and with an Ashes series against England later this year they need stability. "Very excited. Obviously it's a tough team to crack into as we've got legends of the game," said the teenager. "Hopefully I grab my opportunity with both hands. "It's a dream come true to be honest, 19 years old, playing for your country, travelling the world. I'm very lucky to be where I am currently." Australia play three Tests against the West Indies. mp/mtp
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Reds slammed for ‘disgraceful' actions
Former Adelaide United midfielder Ryan Tunnicliffe has broken his silence on the 'disgraceful' way he was treated by the Reds, claiming the club deliberately attempted to break his 'resolve' and force him to leave. The 32-year-old Englishman's comments come on the back of revelations this week made by former Reds assistant coach Travis Dodd, and the subsequent way Tunnicliffe says they were 'downplayed' by club chief executive officer Nathan Kosmina. Dodd claimed in an interview with 7 News that Adelaide's technical director Ernest Faber was 'undermining' the club's recently departed coach Carl Veart during the Reds' 2024-25 campaign, including calling a 'secret meeting' with the squad's player leadership group to tell them that 'they could pick the team'. The report also claimed that Faber made Tunnicliffe train by himself for two weeks and undertake 'torturous running sessions'. 'Credit to him, for two weeks … he did what he was asked to do. Seemingly Ernest had enough after two weeks, and let him rejoin the first-team squad,' Dodd said. In a post on Saturday on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tunnicliffe said he wasn't going to comment out of 'respect for the team, the manager and his staff'. However, comments made by Kosmina to Channel 10 on Friday led to Tunnicliffe feeling 'compelled to respond'. 'Different players respond differently to different coaching techniques … that balance is always a tricky one,' Kosmina said. 'Regardless of right or wrong, what we don't want is to be dragged into a tit-for-tat in the media.' Tunnicliffe – whose contract wasn't renewed after his only A-League appearance during the 2024-25 season was as a 90th-minute substitute in a 4-0 win over Central Coast in December – said the Reds 'sought to downplay both the situation and the club's handling of it'. 'Being separated from the playing group and made to train in isolation, was not only deeply disappointing, it was disgraceful,' he said. 'Throughout this period, I continued to fulfil all contractual obligations, remained professional, and did everything that was asked of me. 'I was the only player subjected to this so-called 'individualised program', which in reality appeared to be a targeted effort to pressure me out of the club as part of a cost-cutting measure. It was, in my view, a deliberate attempt to undermine my resolve and force my departure.' Tunnicliffe also rejected Channel 10's claim it had been told that he 'gave the Reds a favourable review' in an end-of-season player survey. 'As for the so-called 'favourable' end-of-year player survey … this claim is entirely fabricated,' he said. Tunnicliffe said he was 'currently taking legal advice on the matter'. Professional Footballers Australia chief executive officer Beau Busch said Adelaide's alleged treatment of Tunnicliffe had breached the collective bargaining agreement. 'The practice of forcing players to train alone and excluding them from their team has no place in the A-League's and is a breach of the collective bargaining agreement,' Busch said. 'We are in contact with Ryan and the club. We will ensure Ryan is supported, and engage with the club to address the matter.' Busch is also set to meet with another departed Adelaide player, Josh Cavallo, who was also critical of the club, and the treatment he received from the Reds. 'Carl (Veart) was under clear instructions by the people above him (Ernest Faber) during pre-season that I wasn't allowed to step foot on the pitch … hence was I was sidelined fit for the entire season,' Cavallo said in a social media post this week. 'What you think Adelaide United is, think again. It's not quite what I believed it was. It broke my heart and also my career as a footballer.' The club declined to comment or provide a statement to News Corp Australia about the different allegations.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kevin Walters questions Broncos' brutal $3.5m Selwyn Cobbo move amid rival links
Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters has claimed the club appears to be pushing Selwyn Cobbo out the door with the winger linked to a number of new teams. Cobbo has fallen out of favour with coach Michael Maguire in 2025 having been relegated to the reserves after a mixed start to the season. Cobbo won't feature against the Sharks this weekend and he was delivered a hammer blow after reports the Broncos moved to extend the contracts of a number of players. Cobbo is on around $650,000 this season but a salary cap crunch at the club has left his future in doubt and the Broncos are yet to table the off-contract star a fresh deal after prioritising other players. According to , Brisbane have finalised extensions for captain Adam Reynolds, gun centre Kotoni Staggs and promising young hooker, Blake Mozer. The $3.5 million retention blitz has left Cobbo's future at the club in doubt and on Friday night Penrith legend Greg Alexander felt it was clear Maguire wasn't sure on Cobbo being in his plans unless he takes a huge pay cut. 'They don't want him, do they. They've shown they're not that keen on keeping him,' Alexander said. And former coach Walters agreed the Broncos appeared to be pushing Cobbo out of the club. 'That's fine (re-signing other players) but they're virtually squeezing him out of the club, that's their message. You can't expect someone to stay and play on half price, can you. 'There was some talk of a million dollars at the start of the year. I think Selwyn is a wonderful footballer. His value at any club is he can play centre, he can play wing, he can play fullback. 'You can't just upgrade and extending everyone and expect to keep them as well. Someone gets squeezed out and it looks like Selwyn will be that person. He'll be a great pick-up for any club.' RELATED: Tigers fans call out Marshall over bizarre snub of star as issue answered Raiders stars in stunning move for Ricky Stuart and son after tough week While it appears from the outside the Broncos are making it hard on Cobbo, coach Maguire claimed on Saturday he wants the winger to prove himself at the club. And if he does so, this would go along way in sorting out his future contract. "Selwyn is aware what he needs to do at this present moment and that is the most important thing for him. Contract talks always sort themselves out by what you can do on the field, so he's focused on that," Maguire said. "With the salary cap and trying to fit things in, I have inherited where things are at at the moment. So you've got to work your way through it and I know the organisation is doing that. And there appears no shortage of clubs keen on signing Cobbo. reported Cobbo's management has met with the Dragons in Sydney, while the North Queensland Cowboys have entered the race. Cobbo's next destination could come down to his asking price and where the club would be keen to play the versatile back.
