Trade storm brewing after deleted Instagram post

Speculation as to why Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith formally requested a trade out of Whitten Oval has deepened, following a now-deleted Instagram story.
The 23-year-old, who didn’t play a game for the Dogs this year, did not nominate a new club in his trade request, but looks to be leaving the Dogs with bad blood.
Smith tore his ACL in the pre season, ruling him out of the 2024 season, which is his last year under contract.
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He was sent away on a trip to Europe earlier in the year, and returned to the club mid-season, at which point discussions between Geelong and Hawthorn reportedly began.
Now, the midfielder has raised eyebrows with an Instagram story posted the day after his trade request, which was deleted just five minutes after being uploaded.
Bailey Smith’s deleted Instagran story. Instagram
“reminder: there’s 2 sides to every story,” Smith posted, alongside a clown emoji and a photo of himself training in Western Bulldogs colours.
Underneath the main text and image, Smith added, “one day”, hinting that he could reveal his truth once a trade is finalised.
That post follows a previous one with a black and white photo of Smith in a Bulldogs jumper, stating, “a chapter I’ll never forget”.
The 23-year-old has been heavily linked to the Cats, with a lifestyle change reported as his main reason for seeking the move.
Bailey Smith. Getty
“There’s a bit of lifestyle in there, there’s a bit of football programming in there as well,” Sam Edmund said on SEN radio on Monday.
Smith was taken with pick seven in the 2018 draft.
The AFL trade period begins on Monday, October 9.