Bailey Smith's ‘secret meeting' at home with AFL CEO, Geelong bosses

News.com.au

5 hours ago

Geelong superstar Bailey Smith reportedly hosted AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, among other top league and Cats officials, for a 'secret meeting' earlier this week regarding recent indiscretions.
As first reported by Seven's Mitch Cleary, Dillon was joined by Cats coach Chris Scott, CEO Steve Hocking and football boss Andrew Mackie for the closed-door meeting with the 24-year-old, who has made headlines in recent weeks.
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The gathering at Smith's Surf Coast home on Thursday night follows a social media comment from Smith last month that satirically referenced illicit drug use to an online troll.
The interaction comment sparked serious discussions between the AFL and Geelong, but ultimately stopped short of an official sanction.
Cleary added those with intel on the meeting at Smith's residence noted of the league's emphasis on his status as a competition-wide role model, and that a career with his trajectory involving less off-field dramas would only be beneficial for his marketability.
Such was the significance of Dillon's meeting with Smith, that the AFL boss chose to drive 90 minutes to the Surf Coast early on Thursday before meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Marvel Stadium for Hawthorn's clash with the Western Bulldogs.
Smith was fined earlier this year for 'flipping the bird' to a distasteful fan in Adelaide over Gather Round.
The former Bulldog is enjoying the best year of his AFL career to date, and is hotly tipped to be leading the Brownlow at the halfway point of the season alongside Crows captain Jordan Dawson and Collingwood young gun Nick Daicos.
Smith was however a late withdrawal from Geelong's four-goal win over Gold Coast on Saturday evening with hamstring tightness, with Fox Footy's camera crew exclusively picking up vision of his discomfort pre-game before final teams were submitted.