CAROLINE WILSON EXPECTING BAILEY SMITH TO DEPART BULLDOGS
Caroline Wilson believes Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will not be at the club next season.
Sam Edmund first reported on SEN two months ago that Geelong was having “meaningful” conversations with the star midfielder’s camp about his future.
“I don’t expect Bailey Smith to be at the Western Bulldogs next year. Bailey isn’t happy, he’s had a difficult year. The club are obviously frustrated too with Bailey and they want a lot for him, but I do think that deal will get done,” Wilson told Channel Nine.
“Expect Bailey to be more likely to leave than stay. I think there will be some pretty tense interviews.
“Ameet Bains has said that he is a required player, but there is huge frustration with him. He is on a huge amount of money, he is clearly a very high maintenance player.
Caroline Wilson believes Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith will not be at the club next season.
Sam Edmund first reported on SEN two months ago that Geelong was having “meaningful” conversations with the star midfielder’s camp about his future.
“I don’t expect Bailey Smith to be at the Western Bulldogs next year. Bailey isn’t happy, he’s had a difficult year. The club are obviously frustrated too with Bailey and they want a lot for him, but I do think that deal will get done,” Wilson told Channel Nine.
“Expect Bailey to be more likely to leave than stay. I think there will be some pretty tense interviews.
“Ameet Bains has said that he is a required player, but there is huge frustration with him. He is on a huge amount of money, he is clearly a very high maintenance player.
“Several clubs are looking at him. Collingwood and Hawthorn as well as Geelong.
“The Dogs are saying (Geelong’s) pick eight won’t cut it (in a trade).”
Coach Luke Beveridge has been criticised heavily for the poor 2023 season, but has unequivocally been backed in to remain in charge.
Wilson reports that there is still “unease” around the club between Beveridge and the club’s upper management.
“So there’s no doubt there is genuine unease around the position of senior coach Luke Beveridge, but he’s been backed now by the footy manager, the head of footy, the football director and Ameet Bains the CEO,” Wilson said.
“There’s a lot of tension I think between management and Luke Beveridge and there are protections, I gather, in Luke Beveridge’s contract that would mean, if he were to go at some point next year, it’s not necessarily a two-year payout.
“It’s not like the West Coast situation, I understand.
“Two senior assistants have now left and one of course we know the coach wanted to keep. I gather there will be more to go and there is a long list of senior assistant candidates they’re going to bring in to bolster Luke Beveridge.
“Stuart Dew is one of those names (in the mix). There is going to be some big changes to the football department, more than we’ve already seen.”
