The Western Bulldogs have launched an investigation after pictures emerged showing star midfielder Bailey Smith holding a bag of white powder at a party.
The news broke on Saturday morning, and while it’s unclear when the photo was taken, a video showing Smith at a party also circulated on social media. It’s unclear what substance is in the bag, but the Bulldogs confirmed on Saturday they are investigating the matter.
“The Western Bulldogs are aware of pictures of Bailey Smith circulating on social media,” the club said in a statement. “The club is investigating the legitimacy of these images and are unable to comment further at this time.”
Smith shot to cult status last year, with his hot form and trademark mullet making him one of the most recognizable 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-game suspension for headbutting Geelong’s Zach Tuohy. “I understand what happened was outside of AFL players’ expectations,” Smith said after the incident. “Unfortunately, I have let my emotions get the best of me, which is uncharacteristic of me. I’m determined to come back in a few weeks to continue giving 100 per cent to my team-mates and the club.”
The Bulldogs (6-6) have a bye this week before taking on the Giants next Saturday. Three-time Premiership skipper Luke Hodge urged the Bulldogs to monitor Smith’s well-being closely. “What the Doggies have to do is make sure that kid is okay because he’s going to be at rock bottom right now,” Hodge told SEN.
The former AFL draft number six had a stellar finals campaign in 2021 and was a key cog in the Bulldogs’ run to the grand finals, where they were beaten by the Melbourne Demons. The unsigned midfielder was set to become one of the club’s highest-earning players and is said to be working towards a contract worth around $800,000.
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