Bailey Smith looked set for a resurgent 2024 before Wednesday’s injury blow, which will have significant ramifications for the Western Bulldogs in a year of reckoning.
After a season that saw the Dogs fail to make the finals and a host of off-field change, there was already plenty of intrigue surrounding how the club would perform in 2024.
There are two key questions relating to Smith’s injury: What does it mean for the Dogs next season and what does it mean for his future beyond the final year of his current contract?
When it comes to the on-field impact, Smith is hard to replace like-for-like.
True, his player rating dropped 27 per cent year-on-year compared to 2022, but much of that was due to a shift in position, going from a pure midfield/wing role to one that involved more time in the forward half.
It was the first genuine form plateau for Smith, who burst onto the scene after being taken with pick No.7 in the 2018 draft, with his athletic prowess a feature of his game.
For his part, Smith looked set to have an impressive 2024 bounce back before his injury, having won the club’s 2km time trial to once again underscore his athletic attributes.
Regardless of Smith’s form slump, what he offers is something hard to replicate.
His performances in the 2021 finals series – headlined by seven combined goals in the semi and preliminary final wins – showed what he is capable of at his best.
“When the Dogs have been at their absolute best in big games, he’s been at his best,” dual North Melbourne premiership player David King told foxfooty.com.au.
“When they were winning those finals in ‘21 he was a large reason why. He was huge. It’s not just the goals, it’s the way he changes the speed of the game, his breakaway from traffic and just the fact that the opposition have to worry about him.
“I’ll never forget that final when he kicked it on the left (to win the game against Brisbane in the 2021 semi final). That’s something you can’t ask another younger player to do. You only get that goal from a handful of players.
“When the Dogs were at their best, Bailey Smith was a major part and at his best.”
The good news is the Dogs have no shortage of midfielders to rotate through and that half-forward role could be filled by a ready-made player like James Harmes.
Harmes is not Smith, however, with his dynamic play hard to replicate, particularly on the biggest stages where the Dogs are hoping to return next season.
Luke Beveridge will have one less weapon to play with next season, but the goal is clear.
“I see them very similar to Melbourne. All flaws got exposed last year and everything that could go wrong did go wrong,” King said.
“They’re fully aware of all issues. This is something they didn’t need, but they’re aware of what their flaws are. Their challenge now is to minimise those and maximise a couple other advantages.”
Steps have been taken off the field, with changes to the coaching department setting the stage for a different Western Bulldogs side in 2024 than the sporadic one we saw for large parts of 2023.
They’ll be aided by natural growth from those yet to hit their mid-20s, not to mention the prospect of more senior exposure for high-end draft picks.
