Have the Bulldogs "forfeited" their right to play hard-ball in a Bailey Smith trade?

Garry Lyon wonders if the Bulldogs will simply have to accept whatever the Cats send their way in a trade for midfielder Bailey Smith.

After months of speculation, Smith officially requested a trade on Monday – though a destination was not mentioned.

Geelong has been seen as the landing spot for the 23-year-old since Sam Edmund reported in July of 2023 that club and player were having meaningful conversations.

The Bulldogs are reportedly unwilling to accept the Cats’ first-round pick as compensation for Smith, as Edmund explained on Tuesday.

“It will get done, but the time for tough talk starts now. Geelong’s first round pick, it isn’t ideal. It currently sits at pick 16 and depending on their finish to the season it could be 18 and with the father-son and Academy picks, Josh Battle’s compensation, it’s not hard to envisage a scenario where that pick ends up in the 20s,” Edmund told SEN Breakfast.

“The Dogs were saying yesterday that that wouldn’t cut it, but the player is out of contract so there’s little recourse for them.

“So what will it look like at the deadline when the Cats are offering pick 20, take it or leave it.”

Edmund added that Smith isn’t moving to Geelong for a big pay day.

“This isn’t a blockbuster contract by any stretch of the imagination, I’m told. Bailey Smith isn’t leaving for money. Just about every team in the competition could fit him in their salary cap,” he said.

Melbourne great Garry Lyon wonders whether the Bulldogs have any leverage in this situation to play hard ball on trade negotiations.

“What are they going to do? Tell him to go into the pre-season draft and end up at Richmond?” Lyon said.

“The Dogs have forfeited the right to (play hard ball). Bailey needs to turn around and say ‘hey, Geelong you have to do the best deal. You’ve got to compensate the Dogs’.”

Smith didn’t feature for the Bulldogs at AFL level in 2024 after tearing his ACL in the pre-season.