| Bailey Smith (born 7 December 2000) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 185 cm (6ft 1in) tall and 86 kg (190 lb), he plays primarily as a running outside midfielder who can also play on the wing or shift up forward as a scoring threat. He grew up in eastern Melbourne, Victoria while attending Xavier College, where he captained the 1st XVIII football team in 2018. He played top-level junior football as a captain with the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup and as a Vic Metro representative in the AFL Under 18 Championships, where he was named in the All-Australian team.
Smith was recruited by the Western Bulldogs with the 7th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft. He made his debut in the 2019 AFL season, and since that point has not missed a game. He received a nomination for the 2019 AFL Rising Star award in round 9 of the 2019 season, placing fourth in the overall count at the conclusion of the season. Since then, he has been a dual member of the 22under22 team, and a recipient of the Chris Grant Best First Year Player Award. |
