Controversial Geelong superstar Bailey Smith is reportedly in talks to work as an AFL game-analyst on Channel 7.
Caroline Wilson revealed the 25-year-old wants a chance to shift the public’s perception of him and is keen to join the free-to-air network.
“I’m not saying he’s going to come in as a special commentator during matches right now, but I can tell you that before midway through this season, I reckon we’re going to see Bailey Smith analysing games, potentially at halftime, pre-game or potentially post-game,” Wilson revealed on The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night.
“I think there’s a real feeling that even people at Geelong say when he first went there and when he was interviewed and when they were looking at vision, etc, that he was stopping vision at really good times and making some really good observations.”
While Smith won’t be appearing during live matches in the upcoming round, Wilson said Smith’s management was attempting to finalise the deal as soon as possible and Geelong are understood to be supportive of the move.
If it eventuates Wilson would then be a colleague of Smith at the network.
The news comes just weeks after she unloaded on the Geelong star, labelling him “gutless” and “deeply troubled”.
That was in response to Smith’s post last year, where he shared a pictured of himself with his middle finger up alongside Cats teammate Max Holmes dressed as the veteran journalist as part of Mad Monday celebrations, captioned “Caro has never looked better”, with the dripping water emoji.
The post drew widespread backlash but Smith escaped any punishment from the AFL.
Speaking about the incident Wilson was fuming with Smith.
“My issue is the emoji he (Smith) put to an Instagram post about me,” Wilson said on 3AW earlier this month.
“It was disgusting, it was embarrassing.
“I was overseas at the time. My youngest daughter had to tell me what it meant.
“I thought it was horrible, and I was just really disappointed in the reaction of the Geelong footy club.
“Max Holmes got in touch immediately. He dressed up as me, and I didn’t have a massive issue with that. He was deeply embarrassed and apologetic.
“Bailey Smith is gutless, and he makes horrible comments about women and is irresponsible.
“What really disappointed me is leaders at that club, I think have really lowered their own standards by trying to build him up and defend him and I include Chris Scott in that.”
