How Neale Daniher's blue beanie blockbuster is inspiring change, fuelling hope
Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient.
"It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said.
"Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle."
This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013.
FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday.
Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost."
The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour.
The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy.
"Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope."
A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on.
"Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said.
"His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit."
While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate.
When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days.
"It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News.
He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity.
"What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important.
"But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient.
"Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward.
"You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up."
Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year?
If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at australianoftheyear.org.au.
Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient.
"It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said.
"Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle."
This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013.
FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday.
Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost."
The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour.
The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy.
"Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope."
A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on.
"Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said.
"His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit."
While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate.
When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days.
"It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News.
He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity.
"What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important.
"But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient.
"Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward.
"You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up."
Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year?
If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at australianoftheyear.org.au.
Motor neurone disease warrior Neale Daniher has a simple but powerful message for young people in 2025: learn how to be resilient.
"It's not a matter of if life gets tough, it's when and how often," the 2025 Australian of the Year said.
"Character isn't just built in the good times - it's built even more in the tough times. Like a nation, like a football club, like a family, strength is forged through struggle."
This long weekend the 64-year-old former Melbourne coach and Essendon player will rally the nation once again around FightMND, the charity he co-founded and which has raised $115 million for research to find a cure for the disease he has battled since 2013.
FightMND's 11th annual "Big Freeze at the 'G" fundraiser takes place before the June 9 King's Birthday AFL clash between Collingwood and Melbourne. Big Freeze 11 blue beanies have been on sale at Coles and Bunnings stores in recent weeks and the MCG is expected to be a sea of blue on Monday.
Inspired by the words of the philosopher Kierkegaard - "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards" - Daniher said: "This year we're daring everyone to live it forward. To live in the moment. To take bold steps toward a brighter future for those living with MND and in memory of those we've lost."
The theme for this year's sliders is "iconic Australians" - a nod to Daniher's Australian of the Year honour.
The 10 celebrities taking the toboggan plunge into a pool of ice costumed as Aussie stage, screen and sporting legends include Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, actor Matt Nable (who lost his brother to MND), former Australian cricket captain and 1999 Australian of the Year Mark Taylor, Olympian and Sunrise co-host Matt Shirvington, AFL legends Peter Daicos and Aaron Davey, netballer Liz Watson and Aussie cricket captain Alyssa Healy.
"Since the first Big Freeze in 2015, this movement has grown into a force of nature, fuelled by the generosity of Australians across the country," Daniher says. "The generosity and unwavering spirit of the community has inspired change and fuelled hope."
A year after his diagnosis, Daniher co-founded FightMND with Dr Ian Davis and Pat Cunningham. Sadly, MND has since claimed the lives of Dr Davis and Mr Cunningham's wife Angie, but the legacy they created with Daniher lives on.
"Neale is an inspiration to many millions of Australians," AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, a FightMND board member, said.
"His achievements on the footy field were remarkable, while his legacy off the field in helping raise awareness and find a cure for MND is legendary. There is no bigger champion than Neale, as he continues to amaze us with his resilience, passion and drive, all while keeping his cheeky Daniher wit."
While MND has robbed the West Wyalong-born, Riverina-raised Daniher of the ability to speak, he uses eye-gaze technology to communicate.
When he accepted his Australian of the Year Award in Canberra in January, his speech was read by a robotic voice. But the voice now sounds like the real Neale thanks to AI and recordings of his media conferences from his coaching days.
"It's much better than the robot voice I had, but I don't sit around listening to myself all day," Daniher told 7News.
He recently took his message in person to school students in Perth - his first official interstate trip as Australian of the Year.
CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE OUR NEXT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
With his young, WA-based grandson Cooper watching on, he urged the 200 students to face life's challenges with strength and positivity.
"What do you wish for someone you love?" he asked. "Most people would say 'I want them to be happy' or healthy or to find something they're passionate about, or maybe to find love; and all of that is important.
"But today, I want to give you an alternative. The one thing I really wish for Cooper - and for you - is to learn how to be resilient.
"Resilience is simply the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and keep going when things get tough. It doesn't mean you don't feel pain, disappointment or frustration. It means you don't let those feelings define you or stop you from moving forward.
"You have to find the courage to take responsibility, not to pass the buck, not to procrastinate, not to make excuses. You have to summon something from within you, from the better side of your character, and let it help you rise up."
Who inspires you? Who do you think should be our next Australian of the Year?
If you see them or hear about them, nominate them before July 31 for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards at australianoftheyear.org.au.
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Sydney Morning Herald
32 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
F-bombs, chickens and swims with Gary Ablett: This is the real Bailey Smith
On a sprawling, 5.8-hectare property at Bellbrae - just off the Great Ocean Road near Torquay and Jan Juc - a 24-year-old man with a sandy blond mullet relaxes by his fire pit and surveys a galaxy of stars away from the city lights. His dog, cat and chickens are the only potential sources of interruption, aside from the occasional kangaroo hopping across the $4 million Bellbrae property. It is here that Bailey Smith, an AFL superstar reborn since his switch to Geelong, is at peace. His home is a place of meditation and reflection, according to one person close to him, who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity. Smith has been a walking headline for much of his career, known for his edgy one-liners on camera or social media, full of flash and dare both on the field and off it, happy to be the centre of attention. Those who truly know the remodelled Geelong superstar see a more complex person, who is comfortable relaxing at home in solitude. Although publicly brash and unfiltered, he recently revealed a more vulnerable side by speaking with raw honesty on a podcast about his struggles with anxiety. Smith told friends this week he was feeling more at peace with life and football since settling on the surf coast. His football means 'everything to him', despite his huge off-field personality and burgeoning marketing empire. Heading into Saturday's clash against the Gold Coast Suns, Smith is football's hottest player, a short-priced favourite to claim a maiden Brownlow Medal. Smith could not be happier with his decision to leave the Western Bulldogs and join the Cats, embracing his long-desired opportunity to live by the sea. His assimilation into the relaxing Surf Coast way of life has been seamless, aided by finding a home that was sold as an 'entertainer's dream, complete with plenty of land, a large mineral pool, in-ground trampoline and expansive alfresco with exceptional indoor-outdoor flow'. He has his own ice bath and sauna, and has become a convert to this, aiding his recovery, and keeping his ripped frame in shape. After a turbulent 2024, he acknowledges he has good people around him. According to those who know him well, Smith's best friends at the club are older players with families – skipper Patrick Dangerfield (he and Smith share the same management company, Connors Sports Management), vice-captain Tom Stewart and ruckman Rhys Stanley. They have been seen as father figures to Smith, helping him negotiate the daily life of a professional sportsman. Smith does not seek their counsel about life after football – that is well in hand, as his current deals attest. Rather, they – and the Cats as a whole – have embraced Smith for who he is and the interests he has, a point Smith has acknowledged to those around him. He is also great mates with Max Holmes, the two midfielders enjoy gaming, and often play Fortnite together. Then comes his links to club royalty. For those in the Cats' dressingroom at the MCG last month after a stirring win over Collingwood, it was sight to behold – even for Smith's teammates – for the rarely-seen Gary Ablett jnr was the focus of attention. Ablett initially had his arms around Dangerfield, who had delivered a final quarter for the ages, but then he embraced Smith, already ingraining himself into Cats' lore. Little did most know at the time that Ablett, 17 years older than Smith, share a kinship. They regularly have a morning swim together in the Surf Coast ocean, and then catch up over coffee, sometimes with another Cats player on hand. There is a bond there, Smith's friends say, whether that be chatting football, or about philosophical issues of life. Ablett, by way of his famous father, grew up in the football spotlight. Smith has also been in the spotlight since he was taken at No.7 in the 2018 national draft. Each man had to change his ways. For Ablett, there was the major rev-up after the 2006 season when teammates demanded more from him, and he rose to become the best player in the competition. For Smith, it's been learning to cut back, and train smarter – something Ablett did in his later years. Loading However, there is a major difference between the pair. Ablett, typically, eschewed the media. Smith is a natural before the cameras, even though he usually declines long-form interviews. The Age asked to speak to Smith this week, but he was not available. He may not yet have a flag to his name, or a Brownlow Medal, or even a Carji Greeves Medal, but Smith has made such a remarkable splash just 11 games into life at his second club that former Cats' premiership star Cam Mooney says he 'is the king of Geelong'. Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley said Smith was that rare commodity – box office. '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,' Crawley said. 'He is Shane Warne-like. And he's the Brownlow favourite for good measure.' It's been a stunning start to the season by the bandana-wearing midfielder, made even more impressive, as Bulldogs great Brad Johnson pointed out this week, by this being his comeback campaign from a knee reconstruction which derailed his entire 2024 season. Thriving in the midfield role he was rarely given at the Bulldogs, Smith is averaging career highs in disposals (31.5), contested possessions (10.5), uncontested possessions (19.4), marks (5.4), clearances (5.1) and score involvements (7.3), and leads the league in metres gained (691.1 per game), his flowing locks lighting up the Cats' midfield alongside the likes of premiership hard nut Tom Atkins, dasher Max Holmes and the reborn Stanley. However, Atkins was quick to point out Smith was also second in the club for tackles, and was far from a one-way player in that he runs hard defensively. 'I have been super impressed. I have been saying it all year, even before he played, just impressed with how diligent he is and hardworking. He really tries to tick all the boxes before he runs out on the weekend. I think that's maybe why he has been in such good form,' Atkins told this masthead. Smith made an immediate impression over summer with his speed and endurance in the interval running sessions, known as fartleks. Where even the stars of the game can go quiet in team meetings, Atkins said Smith was happy to speak his mind. 'I would say he is pretty standard. He chimes in when he needs to. He, obviously, has a great understanding of the game. Any time we hear from him, it is very valuable,' Atkins said. While his propensity to swear has had to be toned down at the recommendation of club officials and friends, teammates enjoy his raw appeal. Asked if there were any 'F-bombs' dropped in team meetings by Smith, Atkins replied: 'I can't remember', before adding: 'Probably'. Those close to Smith say he is at peace with his football. Taken in the same draft in which Carlton gun Sam Walsh was the top pick, with Izak Rankine, Max King and Connor Rozee among those drafted before him, Smith had become frustrated that his fellow draftees were lauded primarily for their football skills, while he felt his on-field play had been overshadowed by off-field events, his footballing ability not given the plaudits he craved. His form this season has changed that perception. Those in the know at Geelong could not be more impressed with how he has assimilated with the club. 'He is an enjoyable person to have around the club. You often wonder whether people who have high profiles are selfish, but there is none of that. He is a team player,' one long-time Cats figure, who preferred to remain anonymous, said. If there is a knock in simple football terms, it's that Smith is averaging 6.1 turnovers per game (the second most of any player), and his disposal efficiency of 62.2 per cent is the fourth worst of any midfielder to have played six or more games this season. While he is Brownlow favourite, AFL great Matthew Lloyd has a contrarian view, and this week did not rank Smith as truly elite. '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.' Fox Sports chief Steve Crawley 'He is a massive tick because he has made Geelong better, but he is not, say, a [Marcus] Bontempelli. He is still in the best 10 midfielders in the game in my opinion, but he is not in the best three or four because of his turnover stats,' Lloyd told Footy Classified, adding he didn't think Smith could rectify these issues. 'He lacks the class of the best, but he has been a wonderful edition.' Atkins revealed Smith was a man the team often turned to for words of inspiration at half-time. 'We do go to him at half-time sometimes because he is such a high-energy person, and he really helps charge us back up after a rest after that break,' Atkins said. It's not only during the game itself that Smith is a must-watch. His post-game interviews have also been enlightening, sometimes causing a stir. Among these, there was the jibe heading into the clash against the Bulldogs about his former club having to play before a sparse crowd in Ballarat, a revelation after the clash with the Bulldogs that he had required multiple injections because of a shin issue, coach Chris Scott and football department boss Andrew Mackie later saying they were unaware of any injury. And after the win over West Coast on Sunday, he opened up about why the words 'spartan' and 'take souls' were written on his boots, saying he scrawled them there to keep him 'in the present, keep me in the moment'. Crawley said viewers hung off every word. 'Like in cricket, if David Warner was coming up to talk after the break, no one left, in fact they go and get their other family members and there would be more there watching. It was the same with Shane Warne; now with Bailey Smith,' Crawley said. Smith is a complex character. He has battled mental health issues, and continues to deal with these. There was a two-game suspension and a strike in 2022 for taking an illicit drug. The incident occurred during the 2021 off-season, when Smith had taken a mental health break from the game. By his own admission, he struggled again last year when dealing with his knee injury. He opened up in a recent podcast, filmed at his home, about his battles. 'It was a pretty shitty time because you're not playing ... the media are good, at times, but I suppose my teammates ended up sort of resenting me, I suppose, with all the talk of me moving,' Smith said. 'I thought [I'd] be fine, you know, I could still cross-train and do all this sort of stuff. But I really fell into quite a bad spiral ... I didn't have the mask of footy. And all that sort of stuff to really distract me from what's going on internally. I went through a breakup, and all that sort of stuff. 'When you have to sit with yourself and be your own source of entertainment, fulfilment [and] stimulation, that's when you look inward and realise: 'Shit, I am pretty f---ed up, I need to sort my shit out'. Loading 'I got into some bad ways with going out, flat out after my knee [injury] – getting on the piss and being an idiot, which we all do. But that was just my coping mechanism. I really had to look inward and find that, and that's when I found out that: 'F--- , there's nothing much to look inward here, other than a bit of a shitstorm'.' In many ways, this introspection has allowed him to become more of a free spirit, living just how he wants to. That he has twice been fined this season for flipping the middle finger to the crowd is a sign of this. Scott has made it clear he wants Smith to be himself, as the Cats are with all of their players. Scott has backed Smith to the hilt publicly, even when Smith has tipped over the edge, as he did with his social media comment after the win over the Bulldogs. Smith responded to a comment on his Instagram profile asking whether he had 'nose beers' - a common reference to cocaine - to celebrate. Smith replied: 'Na bro, after the flag maybe tho'.' While he later deleted the comment, it wasn't looked upon too favourably at AFL House. Scott, while conceding both parties had wished the incident had not occurred, then added: 'But, in the end, I just don't think we need ultra-conservative people wagging their finger at Bailey.' Atkins said none of Smith's off-field headlines had been a distraction. 'It has no impact on us. The only thing I care about is winning games, and Baz is helping us win games at the moment. Whatever goes on off the field is his business. I know he is a great person and that he works really hard to try and get us wins on the weekend,' Atkins said. 'I couldn't care less about that other stuff.' Scott, speaking over summer, knew what he was getting with Smith. The Cats, a perennial finalist who typically have done their talking on the field, were prepared. 'He keeps you on your toes, Bailey. I didn't know much about him before I met him, but you get to know him pretty quickly,' the dual premiership coach said. Those who follow Smith on social media, where he goes by the name 'Bazlenka', also know him well. He has a whopping 363,000 followers on Instagram, and regularly interacts with them. He is advised by experienced managers Paul Connors and Robbie D'Orazio, but is left to make his own decisions on social media, as Connors has pointed out. This strong social media presence has added to his appeal. He has been a long-time brand ambassador for Cotton On, one of Geelong's key sponsors. He is a part owner, along with fellow AFL stars Nick and Josh Daicos and Charlie Curnow, in the beer company Barry. He isn't afraid to encourage his fans to 'get on the piss' with him at the Torquay Hotel, where he likes to drop by. Loading Seen as authentic, real and funny by global sports marketing agency MKTG Australia, Smith has also featured in advertisements for McDonald's, Monster Energy and Binge. He is also part of a group of male and female AFL players able to share in the league's $35 million marketing fund under the collective bargaining agreement. Then there is his own clothing line, while sales of white bandanas have exploded since he began wearing one this season - first with the Nike-emblazoned logo, then without, after the AFL banned the public sponsorship. For the Cats, the bottom line is this. Yes, Smith will help sell merchandise, ensure the club is relevant among younger fans, and fill stands, particularly helping to pay for the new Joel Selwood Stand at GMHBA Stadium. But it's on the field where the dividends must come. And they are coming. Smith has helped make the Cats a genuine premiership threat.
The Age
33 minutes ago
- The Age
The June 7 Edition
Australians have always had a love affair with bricks and mortar, but in these uncertain times our homes have become even more of a steadying place in our lives. In this, our winter Style Issue, domestic cocooning is something of a theme, with Anthony Burke, the host of Grand Designs Australia, showing how function and beauty can coexist in even the most modest of homes, and landscape designer Kate Seddon demonstrating how gardens can bring so much joy and calm into our lives. Call it a nice dose of comfort reading. – Greg Callaghan, acting editor.
The Age
37 minutes ago
- The Age
F-bombs, chickens and swims with Gary Ablett: This is the real Bailey Smith
On a sprawling, 5.8-hectare property at Bellbrae - just off the Great Ocean Road near Torquay and Jan Juc - a 24-year-old man with a sandy blond mullet relaxes by his fire pit and surveys a galaxy of stars away from the city lights. His dog, cat and chickens are the only potential sources of interruption, aside from the occasional kangaroo hopping across the $4 million Bellbrae property. It is here that Bailey Smith, an AFL superstar reborn since his switch to Geelong, is at peace. His home is a place of meditation and reflection, according to one person close to him, who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity. Smith has been a walking headline for much of his career, known for his edgy one-liners on camera or social media, full of flash and dare both on the field and off it, happy to be the centre of attention. Those who truly know the remodelled Geelong superstar see a more complex person, who is comfortable relaxing at home in solitude. Although publicly brash and unfiltered, he recently revealed a more vulnerable side by speaking with raw honesty on a podcast about his struggles with anxiety. Smith told friends this week he was feeling more at peace with life and football since settling on the surf coast. His football means 'everything to him', despite his huge off-field personality and burgeoning marketing empire. Heading into Saturday's clash against the Gold Coast Suns, Smith is football's hottest player, a short-priced favourite to claim a maiden Brownlow Medal. Smith could not be happier with his decision to leave the Western Bulldogs and join the Cats, embracing his long-desired opportunity to live by the sea. His assimilation into the relaxing Surf Coast way of life has been seamless, aided by finding a home that was sold as an 'entertainer's dream, complete with plenty of land, a large mineral pool, in-ground trampoline and expansive alfresco with exceptional indoor-outdoor flow'. He has his own ice bath and sauna, and has become a convert to this, aiding his recovery, and keeping his ripped frame in shape. After a turbulent 2024, he acknowledges he has good people around him. According to those who know him well, Smith's best friends at the club are older players with families – skipper Patrick Dangerfield (he and Smith share the same management company, Connors Sports Management), vice-captain Tom Stewart and ruckman Rhys Stanley. They have been seen as father figures to Smith, helping him negotiate the daily life of a professional sportsman. Smith does not seek their counsel about life after football – that is well in hand, as his current deals attest. Rather, they – and the Cats as a whole – have embraced Smith for who he is and the interests he has, a point Smith has acknowledged to those around him. He is also great mates with Max Holmes, the two midfielders enjoy gaming, and often play Fortnite together. Then comes his links to club royalty. For those in the Cats' dressingroom at the MCG last month after a stirring win over Collingwood, it was sight to behold – even for Smith's teammates – for the rarely-seen Gary Ablett jnr was the focus of attention. Ablett initially had his arms around Dangerfield, who had delivered a final quarter for the ages, but then he embraced Smith, already ingraining himself into Cats' lore. Little did most know at the time that Ablett, 17 years older than Smith, share a kinship. They regularly have a morning swim together in the Surf Coast ocean, and then catch up over coffee, sometimes with another Cats player on hand. There is a bond there, Smith's friends say, whether that be chatting football, or about philosophical issues of life. Ablett, by way of his famous father, grew up in the football spotlight. Smith has also been in the spotlight since he was taken at No.7 in the 2018 national draft. Each man had to change his ways. For Ablett, there was the major rev-up after the 2006 season when teammates demanded more from him, and he rose to become the best player in the competition. For Smith, it's been learning to cut back, and train smarter – something Ablett did in his later years. Loading However, there is a major difference between the pair. Ablett, typically, eschewed the media. Smith is a natural before the cameras, even though he usually declines long-form interviews. The Age asked to speak to Smith this week, but he was not available. He may not yet have a flag to his name, or a Brownlow Medal, or even a Carji Greeves Medal, but Smith has made such a remarkable splash just 11 games into life at his second club that former Cats' premiership star Cam Mooney says he 'is the king of Geelong'. Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley said Smith was that rare commodity – box office. '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,' Crawley said. 'He is Shane Warne-like. And he's the Brownlow favourite for good measure.' It's been a stunning start to the season by the bandana-wearing midfielder, made even more impressive, as Bulldogs great Brad Johnson pointed out this week, by this being his comeback campaign from a knee reconstruction which derailed his entire 2024 season. Thriving in the midfield role he was rarely given at the Bulldogs, Smith is averaging career highs in disposals (31.5), contested possessions (10.5), uncontested possessions (19.4), marks (5.4), clearances (5.1) and score involvements (7.3), and leads the league in metres gained (691.1 per game), his flowing locks lighting up the Cats' midfield alongside the likes of premiership hard nut Tom Atkins, dasher Max Holmes and the reborn Stanley. However, Atkins was quick to point out Smith was also second in the club for tackles, and was far from a one-way player in that he runs hard defensively. 'I have been super impressed. I have been saying it all year, even before he played, just impressed with how diligent he is and hardworking. He really tries to tick all the boxes before he runs out on the weekend. I think that's maybe why he has been in such good form,' Atkins told this masthead. Smith made an immediate impression over summer with his speed and endurance in the interval running sessions, known as fartleks. Where even the stars of the game can go quiet in team meetings, Atkins said Smith was happy to speak his mind. 'I would say he is pretty standard. He chimes in when he needs to. He, obviously, has a great understanding of the game. Any time we hear from him, it is very valuable,' Atkins said. While his propensity to swear has had to be toned down at the recommendation of club officials and friends, teammates enjoy his raw appeal. Asked if there were any 'F-bombs' dropped in team meetings by Smith, Atkins replied: 'I can't remember', before adding: 'Probably'. Those close to Smith say he is at peace with his football. Taken in the same draft in which Carlton gun Sam Walsh was the top pick, with Izak Rankine, Max King and Connor Rozee among those drafted before him, Smith had become frustrated that his fellow draftees were lauded primarily for their football skills, while he felt his on-field play had been overshadowed by off-field events, his footballing ability not given the plaudits he craved. His form this season has changed that perception. Those in the know at Geelong could not be more impressed with how he has assimilated with the club. 'He is an enjoyable person to have around the club. You often wonder whether people who have high profiles are selfish, but there is none of that. He is a team player,' one long-time Cats figure, who preferred to remain anonymous, said. If there is a knock in simple football terms, it's that Smith is averaging 6.1 turnovers per game (the second most of any player), and his disposal efficiency of 62.2 per cent is the fourth worst of any midfielder to have played six or more games this season. While he is Brownlow favourite, AFL great Matthew Lloyd has a contrarian view, and this week did not rank Smith as truly elite. '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.' Fox Sports chief Steve Crawley 'He is a massive tick because he has made Geelong better, but he is not, say, a [Marcus] Bontempelli. He is still in the best 10 midfielders in the game in my opinion, but he is not in the best three or four because of his turnover stats,' Lloyd told Footy Classified, adding he didn't think Smith could rectify these issues. 'He lacks the class of the best, but he has been a wonderful edition.' Atkins revealed Smith was a man the team often turned to for words of inspiration at half-time. 'We do go to him at half-time sometimes because he is such a high-energy person, and he really helps charge us back up after a rest after that break,' Atkins said. It's not only during the game itself that Smith is a must-watch. His post-game interviews have also been enlightening, sometimes causing a stir. Among these, there was the jibe heading into the clash against the Bulldogs about his former club having to play before a sparse crowd in Ballarat, a revelation after the clash with the Bulldogs that he had required multiple injections because of a shin issue, coach Chris Scott and football department boss Andrew Mackie later saying they were unaware of any injury. And after the win over West Coast on Sunday, he opened up about why the words 'spartan' and 'take souls' were written on his boots, saying he scrawled them there to keep him 'in the present, keep me in the moment'. Crawley said viewers hung off every word. 'Like in cricket, if David Warner was coming up to talk after the break, no one left, in fact they go and get their other family members and there would be more there watching. It was the same with Shane Warne; now with Bailey Smith,' Crawley said. Smith is a complex character. He has battled mental health issues, and continues to deal with these. There was a two-game suspension and a strike in 2022 for taking an illicit drug. The incident occurred during the 2021 off-season, when Smith had taken a mental health break from the game. By his own admission, he struggled again last year when dealing with his knee injury. He opened up in a recent podcast, filmed at his home, about his battles. 'It was a pretty shitty time because you're not playing ... the media are good, at times, but I suppose my teammates ended up sort of resenting me, I suppose, with all the talk of me moving,' Smith said. 'I thought [I'd] be fine, you know, I could still cross-train and do all this sort of stuff. But I really fell into quite a bad spiral ... I didn't have the mask of footy. And all that sort of stuff to really distract me from what's going on internally. I went through a breakup, and all that sort of stuff. 'When you have to sit with yourself and be your own source of entertainment, fulfilment [and] stimulation, that's when you look inward and realise: 'Shit, I am pretty f---ed up, I need to sort my shit out'. Loading 'I got into some bad ways with going out, flat out after my knee [injury] – getting on the piss and being an idiot, which we all do. But that was just my coping mechanism. I really had to look inward and find that, and that's when I found out that: 'F--- , there's nothing much to look inward here, other than a bit of a shitstorm'.' In many ways, this introspection has allowed him to become more of a free spirit, living just how he wants to. That he has twice been fined this season for flipping the middle finger to the crowd is a sign of this. Scott has made it clear he wants Smith to be himself, as the Cats are with all of their players. Scott has backed Smith to the hilt publicly, even when Smith has tipped over the edge, as he did with his social media comment after the win over the Bulldogs. Smith responded to a comment on his Instagram profile asking whether he had 'nose beers' - a common reference to cocaine - to celebrate. Smith replied: 'Na bro, after the flag maybe tho'.' While he later deleted the comment, it wasn't looked upon too favourably at AFL House. Scott, while conceding both parties had wished the incident had not occurred, then added: 'But, in the end, I just don't think we need ultra-conservative people wagging their finger at Bailey.' Atkins said none of Smith's off-field headlines had been a distraction. 'It has no impact on us. The only thing I care about is winning games, and Baz is helping us win games at the moment. Whatever goes on off the field is his business. I know he is a great person and that he works really hard to try and get us wins on the weekend,' Atkins said. 'I couldn't care less about that other stuff.' Scott, speaking over summer, knew what he was getting with Smith. The Cats, a perennial finalist who typically have done their talking on the field, were prepared. 'He keeps you on your toes, Bailey. I didn't know much about him before I met him, but you get to know him pretty quickly,' the dual premiership coach said. Those who follow Smith on social media, where he goes by the name 'Bazlenka', also know him well. He has a whopping 363,000 followers on Instagram, and regularly interacts with them. He is advised by experienced managers Paul Connors and Robbie D'Orazio, but is left to make his own decisions on social media, as Connors has pointed out. This strong social media presence has added to his appeal. He has been a long-time brand ambassador for Cotton On, one of Geelong's key sponsors. He is a part owner, along with fellow AFL stars Nick and Josh Daicos and Charlie Curnow, in the beer company Barry. He isn't afraid to encourage his fans to 'get on the piss' with him at the Torquay Hotel, where he likes to drop by. Loading Seen as authentic, real and funny by global sports marketing agency MKTG Australia, Smith has also featured in advertisements for McDonald's, Monster Energy and Binge. He is also part of a group of male and female AFL players able to share in the league's $35 million marketing fund under the collective bargaining agreement. Then there is his own clothing line, while sales of white bandanas have exploded since he began wearing one this season - first with the Nike-emblazoned logo, then without, after the AFL banned the public sponsorship. For the Cats, the bottom line is this. Yes, Smith will help sell merchandise, ensure the club is relevant among younger fans, and fill stands, particularly helping to pay for the new Joel Selwood Stand at GMHBA Stadium. But it's on the field where the dividends must come. And they are coming. Smith has helped make the Cats a genuine premiership threat.
