Western Bulldogs investigate star Bailey Smith over ‘white powder’ images
Bailey Smith #BaileySmith
The Western Bulldogs have launched an investigation after images surfaced showing star midfielder Bailey Smith holding a bag of white powder at a party.
The news dropped on Saturday morning and while it’s unclear when the photo was taken, a video showing Smith at a party has also been circulating on social media. It’s unclear what substance is in the bag, but the Bulldogs confirmed on Saturday they are looking into the matter.
“The Western Bulldogs are aware of images of Bailey Smith circulating on social media,” the club said in a statement. “The club is investigating the legitimacy of these images and is not in a position to comment further at this time.”
Smith shot to cult hero status last year, with his hot form and trademark mullet making him one of the most recognisable players in the league. The 21-year-old is one of the most popular players in the game, with more than 370,000 followers on Instagram — more than Dustin Martin and Lance Franklin.
Smith is currently serving a two-match ban for head-butting Geelong’s Zach Tuohy. “I understand what happened was outside of what’s expected of AFL players,” Smith said after that incident. “Unfortunately, I let my emotions get the better of me, which is out of character for me. I am determined to come back in a couple of weeks to continue giving 100 per cent for my teammates and the club.”
The Bulldogs (6-6) have a bye this week before taking on the Giants next Saturday. Triple premiership skipper Luke Hodge urged the Bulldogs to closely monitor Smith’s welfare “What the Doggies have to do is make sure this kid is OK because he is going to be rock bottom right now,” Hodge told SEN.
The former number six pick in the AFL draft had a stellar finals campaign in 2021 and was a key cog in the Bulldogs’ run to the grand final, where they were beaten by the Melbourne Demons. The out-of-contract midfielder was set to become one of the highest earners at the club and was said to be working towards a contract of around $800,000.