Bailey Smith's form soars at Geelong despite off-field controversies
Bailey Smith is the AFL's ultimate hamburger with the lot.
And if the headline-grabbing script carries on until late September – and Brownlow Medal night – we might get another chapter every bit as cheeky and compelling.
Just imagine if he wins the Brownlow Medal – he is a $13 chance – and the straight-laced AFL chairman Richard Goyder has to drape 'Charlie' around Smith's locks and neck.
Smith's private life has been in the spotlight again this week.
His coach Chris Scott was forced to defend his star midfielder again on Thursday, insisting Smith had been everything – plus more – that the Cats had hoped for in 2025.
Publicly, Geelong has been hugely supportive of Smith, even if, privately, there has been some gnashed teeth, delicate discussions and questions around some of his decision-making off the field.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon even made the trip to Smith's Surf Coast home in June in a 'secret' meeting that included key Cats figures.
Is Smith proving a distraction? Not according to his coach, who said that while the Cats expected seven out of 10 from Smith this year, he has delivered a perfect 10.
Scott is talking about on-field, and the stats back that up, with Geelong sitting second on the ladder and Smith's 2025 season dwarfing his next best season of 2021 with the Bulldogs.
Compared to his breakout 2021 when he helped the Dogs make it through to a grand final, the 2025 version of Smith is +34% in disposals, +54% in metres gained, +93% in clearances and +30% in scoring involvements.
The thing that generally masks distractions is winning.
It might be a different thing if the Cats were losing … Glenn McFarlane Sports Reporter
Glenn McFarlane has been a sports writer for the Herald Sun for more than 30 years (including 11 years as sports editor of the Sunday Herald Sun) and now CODE Sports. An award-winning journalist and co-host of successful podcast series Sacked, he remains one of the most trusted and respected voices across a range of sports, including AFL football and racing. He loves all aspects of the craft, including agenda-setting projects, hard-breaking news and long-form features. AFL
It was all about the new blood on both sides as the Blues and Magpies opened the AFLW season. And while Ash Centra gave us some magic, it was Carlton's youngsters that stood tallest. AFL
The Pies are on the ropes and Craig McRae is backing in the young guns, dumping two veteran premiership players ahead of round 23 as the Blues welcome back some much-needed run.
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