- Geelong star hosts a secret meeting with AFL CEO
- Bailey Smith has had several controversies this year
Geelong star Bailey Smith reportedly met with AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, league top brass and Cats officials for a ‘secret meeting’ on Thursday night following the player’s recent indiscretions.
Dillon was joined by Geelong coach Chris Scott, CEO Steve Hocking and head of football Andrew Mackie for the meeting at Smith’s home, reports Seven’s Mitch Cleary.
The meeting, organised by Dillon, saw the parties discuss the 24-year-old’s behaviour following Smith’s recent social media post which alluded to illicit drug use.
Smith also copped a fine earlier in the year for ‘flipping the bird’ to a fan during Gather Round.
Dillon and other officials reportedly didn’t lecture the young footy star, rather reiterated his importance to the AFL as a role model.
The meeting was of such importance that Dillon prioritised the catch-up over heading to Marvel Stadium to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Bailey Smith reportedly met with AFL boss Andrew Dillon and other football officials
The gathering follows Smith’s recent headline-grabbing controversies
Meanwhile, Chris Scott expects Smith to miss just one match with his hamstring setback, but must wait to learn the full extent of Shannon Neale’s ankle injury.
Smith was put through a fitness test before the Cats’ 9.7 (61) to 5.7 (37) win over Gold Coast at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday and was a late withdrawal.
Midfield partner Max Holmes shone in his absence, tallying 40 disposals and 10 clearances, while Tyson Stengle kicked four goals in the low-scoring contest.
A fourth straight victory lifted Geelong into the top four with a 9-4 record ahead of a clash with Essendon at the MCG next Saturday night.
Scott said Smith had lingering hamstring tightness and a corked quadriceps out of the Cats’ win over West Coast in round 12, and was not worth risking against the Suns.
But he is ‘very, very confident’ the 24-year-old midfielder will return against the Bombers.
‘He had a fitness test a few hours before the game and just didn’t feel confident,’ Scott said.
‘Our tolerance for that sort of situation with any player, much less one like Bailey who depends so much on his running, is generally low.
The superstar midfielder has had an outstanding season for Geelong
‘It was a pretty easy decision to pull him out, but then I’m told he went and did a 6-7km session.
‘It was a situation where he was good enough to train but not good enough to play, which leads us to believe he’ll be fine for next week.’
Neale rolled his left ankle while contesting a boundary throw-in in the second quarter against Gold Coast and was substituted out before halftime.
The 203cm key forward had kicked 14 goals in 12 appearances this season, becoming increasingly important to the Cats’ attacking set-up.
‘He may well have a scan and be pretty good, but there was enough doubt there that it wasn’t one that they wanted him to play through,’ Scott said.
Stengle was the game’s only multiple goal-kicker, his four goals proving the difference in a match played in difficult conditions.
‘He is right up there with the best wet-weather small forwards that I’ve seen,’ Scott said.
‘He is just so clean and so clever, and for his size he’s just so strong over the ball as well.
‘He was a real threat all night.’
