Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Geelong recruit Bailey Smith revealed a shin injury almost stopped him from appearing as the star attraction in clash against the Western Bulldogs that lived up to its billing as an action packed thriller.
Smith had 33 disposals despite the injury but played more of a support role in a star-studded cast led by Max Holmes and Jeremy Cameron as the Cats prevailed by 14 points after the Bulldogs clawed back a 33-point deficit to draw level midway through the final quarter.
There was little by-play between the former teammates Bailey Smith, now with Geelong, and Bulldogs premiership player Tom LiberatoreCredit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
He told Fox Footy post-game he received injections to play declaring the only reason he ended up playing was because it was his first bout against his former club.
“I’m glad I got through the game,” he said. “I had to jab my shin up, I reckon, four times, at half-time and then before the game. So got up there somehow.”
He did not train during the week with the club claiming it was due to a five-day break and Cats’ coach Chris Scott played dumb when asked how close Smith was to playing, his in-built aversion to discussing injuries on full display.
“Bailey said that? Did you know about that ‘Mac’ (football boss Andrew Mackie)? It was obviously a very courageous effort for him to get to the line off the five-day break,” Scott said.
“The fact that the coach and the GM of footy didn’t know about it probably suggests it wasn’t serious.
“There was no issue in my mind but again maybe I don’t get all the information.”
Smith attracted boos from the Bulldogs crowd and half-hearted cheers from Cats’ fans who aren’t generally known for their confrontation. But the Bulldogs directed more animosity at Kane Cornes pre-game when he tried to be friendly to Luke Beveridge and copped some feedback than they did at their former player.
“Personalities didn’t come into it. I didn’t want us to be distracted,” Beveridge said. “There is no use going out there and going over the top with a confrontational approach…it wasn’t going to help.”
Max Holmes celebrates after kicking a goal of the year contender. Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
The Bulldogs coach refused to buy into the interaction with Cornes post-game. “If you are trying to drum up any controversy I don’t think there was any.”
What affected the result more was the amount of turnover points the Bulldogs conceded in the first half as they dropped 33 points behind after giving away 51 points through turnover.
Beveridge said it was where the game was won and lost, and although he was proud of the team’s effort to claw their way back into the high scoring encounter they were not good enough in that area. He said it had crept into their game when under pressure against the Gold Coast, and they would need to rectify it.
The Cats had two dominant forwards with Cameron kicking six goals and Shannon Neale five straight in excellent performances with Neale’s two last quarter goals vital in the win. Holmes also kicked one of the goals of the year when he took three bounces before converting as he passed the 50-metre mark.
However, it was the decision to pay a mark in the final quarter to Oliver Dempsey in the forward pocket when the ball appeared to be over the boundary line that ended with a goal that pushed the margin beyond six points which was contentious.
When asked whether the mark was a mark, Beveridge asked a question which made his feelings clear.
“The out of bounds on the full one?” Beveridge asked. “Critical part of the game, lots of eyes on it but other than that, as I always say, swings and roundabouts… no-one is sitting in our rooms thinking about the free kick differential (which went Geelong’s way 26-12).”
Smith said he hoped to be able to pull up after the win against the Bulldogs and play next week. The Cats have a 10-day break and they travel to Perth to play the Eagles in round 12 while the Bulldogs have a bye.
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