Out-of-contract Bulldog Bailey Smith is strongly leaning towards joining Geelong over Hawthorn, with an estimated 85 percent likelihood of making the move as he decides on his future following a 2024 season marred by an ACL injury.
Smith, who recently returned from Europe, is being courted by Geelong, which is advancing plans to construct a new $60 million state-of-the-art training facility next to GMHBA Stadium. The club has already secured $14 million in donations toward the project, according to reports from the Herald Sun.
Geelong, Hawthorn, and Collingwood have all been contenders for Smith, with the Bulldogs having previously offered him a two-year contract extension earlier this year.
Jon Ralph of the Herald Sun believes all signs point to the 23-year-old midfielder joining Geelong for the 2025 season, highlighting the club’s appealing amenities and lifestyle options as compelling factors. Geelong’s recent upgrade of GMHBA Stadium, which now seats 40,000 following a $260 million redevelopment, further enhances its attractiveness to prospective recruits like Smith.
Smith, a former high draft pick, would need to be acquired via trade, with Geelong currently holding picks 14 and 34 in this year’s draft.