The Western Bulldogs’ coach, Luke Beveridge, has suspended his two players.

 

 

 

 

The Western Bulldogs’ coach, Luke Beveridge, has taken issue with “disrespectful” comments made about Bailey Smith when it became known that the injured star had been suffering from illness.

The 22-year-old had a challenging game against Collingwood last Friday, losing to the Bulldogs by a score of 12 points, and is probably not going to play against Sydney on Thursday night. He only had 11 disposals in total.

There has been speculation regarding a potential club move in the media following the Collingwood game.

But Beveridge described the comments as “pungent” and said there was a reason why the midfield player had not been at his best offensively.

People are uneducated about a great deal of subjects, and when you don’t know or comprehend anything, all you can do is hurt someone.

We’ve had excellent success with our players here, so speculating on whether or not he ought to be at a different club is offensive.

Smith was unable to take part in the Bulldogs’ Tuesday main practice due to the unexplainable illness. Smith needs a “big turnaround” in order to travel with the team on Wednesday, according to 7NEWS football reporter Mitch Cleary.

The young player’s profile has skyrocketed since the Bulldogs picked him in the 2018 draft, making him one of the most well-known athletes in Australia.He had an instant impact on the field for the Dogs, inspiring the group to an amazing run to the 2021 championship game.

Owing to his open talks about his mental health issues, Smith has a substantial social media following and a deep bond with younger fans.

After photos and videos of him using illicit substances surfaced last year, the AFL punished him for two games for acting in an unsportsmanlike way.

Beveridge said, “There is no doubting the young man’s talent to be a really important participant in the event.”

“He has experienced some significant challenges; he has been open about his mental health problems; and it is evident that he has missed some time as a result of injuries.

“All we’ve ever done here is look after Bailey, and on Monday, we were really having a really nice chat.