Millennial pause... Is this thing on? How do I turn the font to neon?

That’s what is required to write about the most modern of modern footballers, Geelong’s Bailey Smith. These tired old letters in their antiquated colour and style just don’t chime with one of the biggest stories in the 2025 AFL season.

Up in lights: Bailey SmithCredit: Marija Ercegovac

In one sense, Bailey and I have some shared history, in that we both, for a time, played for the same footy club. But in reality, we were ships in the night. Our time in the Footscray locker room didn’t overlap, although we did cross paths at the club once when Bailey was just a wee pup.

I remember leaving that brief encounter thinking how disarmingly polite he was. He was just Bailey at that time; brand “Bazlenka” was yet to launch. That seems like a long time ago now.

A memory that brought a smile to my face this week as I reflected on Bailey was from very early in his career at AFL level. It was under the roof at Docklands, and he was playing his first game against the Swans in 2019.

It just so happened that I was seated next to his parents.

I spent the game chatting with the Smiths and couldn’t help but focus more on watching the debutant with them. Footy is contagious like that.

Like many parents who are........

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