Western Bulldogs young gun Bailey Smith has revealed the entire playing group watched new recruit Adam Treloar’s highlights together as part of an initiation.
Treloar made the high-profile move from Collingwood to the Dogs in the dying seconds of last year’s trade period, after reported salary cap pressure forced him out of the club.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, players in the first week of pre-season were only able to train in groups of 10.
The change in training conditions meant all of the playing group weren’t able to get together collectively until this week and Smith said he was blown away by what he saw when Treloar’s highlights package was played in front of the entire group on Tuesday.
“He’s a gun really,” he said on Sportsday.
“We watched his highlight package on Tuesday for an initiation, we watched all the boys because we haven’t been able to get together because of COVID.
“We watched it on the green floor, he’s a gun and it’s really exciting to see what he’ll do for the team and he’ll just make everyone go to another level.
“Whenever a good player comes into a side, everyone wants to get to their level or better and it’ll bring up the standard so it’s very exciting.”
Despite requesting a trade to Essendon in the off-season, inside midfielder Josh Dunkley ultimately stayed at the Bulldogs after the Bombers were unwilling to part with two first round draft picks to secure a trade for the contracted Dog.
Smith said the playing group welcomed him back into the fold “with open arms” after the failed trade request.
“I don’t reckon (the trade request will) need to be addressed (too much),” he said.
“We just sort of laugh about it with (Dunkley), he’s that sort of character and an amazing person. We welcome him against I suppose with open arms and there certainly isn’t any malice behind it.
“You take it with a grain of salt, you just give him love again. It isn’t weird, but I suppose it’s so normal these days for players to want to move so you don’t sort of look into it too much.”