Welcome to the Bulldogs: Bailey Smith

[Happy Days]

Richmond would be perfect. They’re gonna have a swag of picks and he’s probably immediately their best player so his star ****er appetite would be satisfied. But we all know that it’s not happening.

[Bullies]

There is such a bias in the media. It is sickening.

There is an undertone building that the smaller clubs are just factories to produce talent to trade or go via free agent to the "big" clubs. "The Bulldogs have no right stop stop Bailey Smith going to a bigger club to the exposure his brand deserves". I'm so over it.

I feel like the AFL is becoming the Premier League or the Serie A where players start at smaller clubs and all the best talent ends up getting to the biggest clubs via osmosis over time. That is the narrative that the media is pushing. A story always involves the up and coming star players going to Collingwood or Sydney, never to the Saints or the Dogs.

I know a recruiter who worked at Collingwood and he said you will never find the "big" clubs drafting a ruckman with a top pick as they take to long to develop and they can pick the eyes out of the lower clubs when they need one.

[soupman]

Richmond would be perfect. They’re gonna have a swag of picks and he’s probably immediately their best player so his star ****er appetite would be satisfied. But we all know that it’s not happening.

Dangerous road to walk though with them having PSD pick 1

[azabob]

Why is it ok for Bailey Smith to leave for "brand opportunities" but when Christian Petracca wants to leave Melbourne for a bunch of reasons but a top one being "Brand Petracca" he needs to grow up and suck it up.

[Happy Days]

Why is it ok for Bailey Smith to leave for "brand opportunities" but when Christian Petracca wants to leave Melbourne for a bunch of reasons but a top one being "Brand Petracca" he needs to grow up and suck it up.

Why do you reckon?

[Rocket Science]

Gunna just blow some steam off here ...

There are a handful reporting that not only is Geelong most certainly the destination but more curiously adding that their contract offer "isn't actually that much" which dovetails neatly with the sneering agenda of usual suspects that we can't stop good folk wanting to escape the gulag and nor should we, let alone expect appropriate compensation when they bolt. You don't even need to lure them with riches apparently, they just want out because, stoopid Bulldogs.

That aside, this has me revisiting the cynical absurdity of non-disclosure of player salaries in an elite competition that operates with a purportedly strict salary cap in the name of a level playing field. LOL. It's so f**ken provincial man but more pointedly, it must be wholly calculated.

Any rival contract for a player of Smith's on and off-field profile being "not actually that much" should absolutely be the canary in the coal mine on the topic of player poaching and the barely concealed wink-nudge of third party deals employed to that end that make the concept of a salary cap purely performative and for those prepared to game it, optional only.

Which is no doubt why the AFEL remains exceedingly happy to keep player salaries secret lest they court a shitstorm of biblical proportions over the testy issue of competition-wide fairness which for some reason dipshit fans seem to care about, unless it's their club that traditionally does the raiding.

Bravo to the AFLPA who've etched a system that retains supreme leverage in the hands of their members while we navigate an(other) off-season watching another key asset kick us in the jatz before skipping out the door to a place of their choosing while the meeja-scape ruminates on the extent of our helplessness in trying to extract fair value from a suitor receiving industry-wide back pats for fleecing a rival ... Great look for the game.

Making player salaries public - on top of being interesting as hell - would lend long overdue transparency to a salary cap system that'd either be less easy to circumvent, or much simpler to gauge where it might be happening.

Sadly for AFEL HQ however it'd also mean policing a system that underpins their competition with the diligence and conviction they're famous for.

Have some respect for your audience and show fans the money.

Personally, Baz and his cringy rizz can duly f**k off along with his floaters gift wrapped for interceptors of the opposition variety. Run along boy and gorge on all Geetroit's rich nightlife has to offer.

But when a rival knocks - and suggestions are Geelong's been cooking on this for at least 18 months - they shouldn't be able to help themselves to a 23 year old former 7th overall with a hundred games on their resume and marketability up the wazoo for "not actually that much", whether contractually or by way of fair recompense to the idiots who drafted and developed him in the first place, let alone be lauded as geniuses for it while pundits punch down on the Dogs for 'letting it happen'.

[Sedat]

I love the way the media are pushing the "not played in his preferred position" narrative as well as #CoAsTaLLiFeStyLe for the reasons, and burying the obvious lead which is the Cotton On connection. This is Judd-Visy brown paper bags 2024 style, nothing more or less.

[dukedog]

It's not about the media, it's about sending a message to players that want to walk out ie, if we don't get a good deal, you are playing for the bottom team. Mind you it will never happen, the club will try and get the best they can

i agree. But the general public listen to the media. So then it will be about the media for 'most' of the supporters.

yeh just have to make the best out of a shit situation. If we were at the bottom of the ladder would it mean more. or if geelong was at the bottom. or outside the 8.... i think its because its gonna be pick 20 ish. would we take pick 10? probably.

[Rocket Science]

"Should the Cats be obliged to use lube or should the Dogs simply lie back and think of Engl ... ish?"

[angelopetraglia]

Bailey Smtih is probably worth more to Cotton On in regards to $$$ than he is to Geelong. His brand is perfect to sell more slave labour, low quality clothes to people wanting to chase the latest throw away fashion trend.

[Grantysghost]

"Should the Cats be obliged to use lube or should the Dogs simply lie back and think of Engl ... ish?"

Classic. No is the answer.

[Rocket Science]

Classic. No is the answer.

A mere snapshot of the prevailing wisdom around this we've only just seen the tip of thus far.

Not just reporting on the likelihood of us getting bent over, again, but insisting we consent to it while being fed a healthy dose of 'know your place'.

Not sure this is necessarily the answer but there'd be so much more for these idiots to talk about if players in this situation didn't hold absolutely all the cards and clubs could dispatch assets as readily as those assets can dispatch clubs.

[bornadog]

A mere snapshot of the prevailing wisdom around this we've only just seen the tip of thus far.

Not just reporting on the likelihood of us getting bent over, again, but insisting we consent to it while being fed a healthy dose of 'know your place'.

Not sure this is necessarily the answer but there'd be so much more for these idiots to talk about if players in this situation didn't hold absolutely all the cards and clubs could dispatch assets as readily as those assets can dispatch clubs.

The worst thing I read (a month ago) about why Geelong suits Smith was by Jon Ralph who said Geelong were going to build an elite training facility for $50 million (not exact figure, just my memory)and how great it would be for Smith to train there. The facility will take 2 plus years to build.

What an absolute tosser who has never been to the Whitten Oval.

[Axe Man]

AFL Trade: How Geelong can get Bailey Smith trade done with Western Bulldogs

As with all trade talk in September, it was unsurprising the Western Bulldogs began the official Bailey Smith discourse by digging in their heels on Monday.

Smith told Luke Beveridge on Monday he wanted out of the club and the battle for leverage has begun.

The midfielder is off contract so it would appear he is in pole position to rule the deal but as a 23-year-old who is expected to enjoy another decade in the game and join his second club on a long-term deal, the Dogs will demand a strong return.

While Smith did not specifically pick Geelong as his destination on Monday, the football world has expected him to be wearing hoops in 2025 for some time.

The Cats will not have a first pick before No. 15 in November?s draft and it is more than likely that selection will push into the early 20s once academy and father-son picks are accounted for.

That pick alone will not satisfy the Dogs and asking for Geelong?s future first in hope it will be a better selection may be folly given the club has missed finals twice in 18 seasons.

The Cats have all their picks available so could trade both their first and second for Smith, but would say picks 20 and 36 be enough?

It seems to be the fairest middle ground.

Trading two first-round picks has been a high-risk strategy but Geelong?s first this year is essentially an early second and the Cats would back themselves to make another deep run in 2025 with the addition of Smith to the team, so two picks sitting around 20 might be the best they can offer without working to get up the order this off-season.

In terms of players, it?s impossible to see the Cats giving up any of their shiny young toys in a trade unless the Dogs are particularly interested in fringe youngsters like Jhye Clark, Mitch Knevitt.

Cats list boss Andrew Mackie dug his own heels in somewhat last year in the Esava Ratugolea deal over late picks and will push for what he sees as a fair price.

The Cats could threaten to walk him to the pre-season draft but that very rarely comes to fruition and Geelong?s pick there would be late anyway.

WHAT HISTORY SAYS
A host of quality young midfielders have been traded in the last three seasons, almost all of them for deals centred on top-10 picks.

Adam Cerra?s move potentially mirrors Smith the best, and the former Docker also didn?t specify a club when he asked for a trade before later making clear he wanted to be a Blue.

Comparable Recent Midfield Trades

Adam Cerra (Age 21 at trade) Carlton got: Cerra Fremantle got: pick 6 and future R3

Tim Taranto (24) Richmond got: Taranto GWS got: picks 12 and 19

Jacob Hopper (24) Richmond got: Hopper, picks 53 and 63 GWS got: pick 31 and future R1

Josh Dunkley (25) Brisbane got: Dunkley, future R3 and R3 Bulldogs got: pick 21 and future R1, R2, R4

Liam Henry (21) St Kilda got: Henry and future R4 Fremantle got: future R2 and R4

Cerra was two years younger than Smith is now and went for pick 6 and a future third.

Jacob Hopper sits in a similar band of high-potential player without many accolades and was traded from GWS to Richmond at the age of 25 for pick 31 and a future first, with two late picks going back to the Tigers.

Josh Dunkley was better credentialed when he got his move from the Dogs to Brisbane at age 25.

He went for pick 21 and a future first, with some other picks swapped around.

WHO ELSE SHOULD GET INVOLVED
There isn?t a person in the footy industry who expects Smith to go anywhere except Geelong but given he didn?t lock in his dream destination other clubs may as well inquire.

Melbourne needs more youthful legs in its midfield, although Smith?s kicking would be a worry in a Demons side that can hack the footy.

The Dees have pick five, which would be a great start.

St Kilda has been searching for a star midfielder and could have picks seven and eight once the Josh Battle compensation is sorted, with his running game perfectly suited to Ross Lyon?s new style.

The Saints are keen to draft young on-ballers with those picks.

Collingwood was interested earlier this year but could only offer next year?s first rounder while Hawthorn appears too busy with Tom Barrass.

[GVGjr]

You don't honestly believe that do you G?

I can't see any benefit from doing this. Would we rather keep a player that clearly doesn't want to be there so he can sulk around and destabilise the group?

It doesn't set a precedent of worth.

Let's get the best deal possible, and move on.

It sucks not gonna lie. The Dunkley deal sucked, the Lions gave up nothing really and gained a key component.

But - we need to work out a way to keep these guys happy enough to want to stay. That's the issue.

Maybe it was just two guys who were always going to look around for Broadway lights who knows.

I'm absolutely of the view that you don't gift overly generous deals to clubs higher on the ladder than we are so while it might cost us in the short term I'd still be prepared to do it. I'd be the first to admit I haven't seen a lot of it in recent years but clubs at the top of the ladder need to pay a reasonable return when they chase players from other clubs.
We can be the club that shakes the competition up by not accepting 50 cents in the dollar return in terms of a trade.
It we get the opportunity to accept 80 cents in the dollar I could probably get on board and be more pragmatic.