Bailey Smith claims he has ‘grown up’ from the Bulldogs, opens up about falling out of love with footy

Wanted Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith says he ‘still loves’ the club despite their recent trade request.

Speaking as a panelist at the EJ Whitton Grand Final Legends Lunch alongside manager Paul Connors, along with AFL great Ben Cousins, commentator Gerard Whatley and Bulldogs board member and prominent media personality Luke Darcy, Smith explained that apart from football How was his season after that? His ACL tear in December rekindled his passion for the sport.

“I may be angry about all the headlines I’ve made, things I haven’t done well, or the pressure coming from the way you look, all that kind of stuff, but it’s also made me look at less superficial things. Learn to value,” Smith said, via herald sun,

“I just go kicking during the week and learning to love footy to its fullest. I kick footy with my dad and try to fall in love with the game again, because I fell out of love with it for a while.

“And it really hurts, really love it and miss it again because it can get blurry with everything that’s going on.”

After months of speculation, Smith, who is the most followed AFL footballer on Instagram, officially requested a trade from the Bulldogs after the season ended with an elimination final loss to Hawthorn.

While the 23-year-old is believed to be almost certain to name Geelong as his preferred destination, he reportedly raised the ire of Bulldogs officials when he was seen sitting with Cats players during the preliminary final loss to Brisbane Was, but he has not yet made his official announcement. intentions, Connors said he is ‘still working out’ Smith’s future.

Speaking on the panel, Smith said he ‘still loves the club’, but that he has ‘moved on’ from Whitton Oval.

“I still love the club – that’s what people forget,” Smith said of the Bulldogs.

Bailey Smith. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photo via Getty Images)

“But there’s a level when you outgrow a place, or you need a new change for whatever reason.

“I still love them (his Bulldogs teammates), they’re still my teammates. I won’t go too deep into this.

“I feel like I’m doing myself a disservice to the player and person I want to be by staying in that environment, but we’ll see.”

Co-panelist Darcy, whose son Sam is Smith’s teammate at the Bulldogs, joked that ‘Jeremy Cameron and two first-round picks’ would be their asking price for the talented midfielder, who is expected to return to form after impressive performances in the 2021 finals series. Emerged prominently together. Bulldogs’ run to the Grand Final.

“He’s a young superstar – the most marketable player in the game,” Darcy said.

The AFL trade period begins on Monday, October 7, with Smith set to be traded in the wake of recent revelations the Bulldogs and Cats have yet to officially discuss the move.

The Dogs are expected to demand more than Geelong’s first-round draft pick, currently at 15, but are expected to slide further down the order due to academy and father-son selections including future Brisbane Lions and potential No. 1 draft pick Is. Choose Levi Ashcroft.