Senior #34: Bailey Williams

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Wizard17

Wizard17

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts 10k Posts
Sep 2, 2013
10,970
10,072
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs

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BAILEY WILLIAMS

DOB:10/10/1997
HEIGHT:187cm
WEIGHT:77kg
POSITION:Midfield Utility
RECRUITED FROM: Glenelg (Pick 48, 2015 National Draft)
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENTS:56 Disposals against Woodville-West Torrens in SANFL u18's
DEBUT: Round 8 2016 (vs Melbourne)
 
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http://m.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-12-03/34-for-williams

You might think that the possibility of being drafted to an AFL club would have a potential draftee on the edge of his seat, surrounded by family, straining to hear his name called out.

Not so, Bailey Williams.

“I was at a friend’s house - I wasn’t watching it at all - I was having pasta watching Home and Away and I got a phone call saying I’d been picked up at 48, to the Bulldogs.”

Williams was this week allocated the number 34 guernsey, the same number worn by Brian Gilmore, the man left holding the footy when the final siren sounded on Grand Final day 1954.

The 189cm midfielder said that once he’d heard he’d been drafted it took a little while for it to feel real, at least until all the phone calls started to roll in.

“[I was] shocked. I didn’t know what to feel, actually. My phone wouldn’t stop ringing and then it started to sink in.”

The next step for the South Australian was to make the move to Melbourne, something that had its own challenges.

“Mum cried. But there was people at the airport, so that was good. It’s starting to settle in now living with Josh [Dunkley] and Lin Jong, it’s good.

“They’ve been nice.”

But don’t be fooled by the Glenelg product’s laid back nature. Underneath it all is a fierce competitor with elite level agility and excellent decision making skills.

He can also play forward or back and has a 56-disposal performance against SANFL club, Woodville-West Torrens under his belt.
 

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tenderwarrior said:
How has Bailey been traveling in the pre-season? I thought he showed something in his NAB game - still very raw, but there is something there.
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I didn't see it myself but most seem to have been really impressed with his VFL game last week. Did look a little off the pace in the NAB game but he also showed off some fantastic attributes there. Showing more than enough for a player picked in the late 40s but it looks like it will mostly be a development year for him.
 
http://m.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-05-16/my-god-the-atmosphere

Bailey Williams lived out every footy-loving kids’ dream when he ran out onto the MCG on Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs’ third debutant of the 2016 season.

In front of almost 40,000 fans, the Bulldogs secured their eighth win of the season after defeating Melbourne by 32-points on the back a best afield performance from Marcus Bontempelli and a five-goal haul from Jake Stringer.

“It was amazing,” Williams told westernbulldogs.com.au in the rooms post-match.

“As soon as I ran out on the ground, my god… the atmosphere was pretty intimidating to start with but the boys got around me.

“I’ll never forget that, that was amazing.”

It was a sign of the confidence that Luke Beveridge has in the 18-year-old’s game when he went to Demon goal-sneak Jeff Garlett, on whom he did a more than serviceable job.

Williams also gathered 14 touches in his first senior outing, along with four tackles and five inside 50s.

And Williams’ footy smarts where also on display early when he pulled a kick at the last second to hit up teammate Toby McLean, who went back and goaled in the second quarter.

It was those early-game involvement that helped him settle in as well as some encouraging words from his senior teammates.

“As an individual I need a couple of little touches to get me going, so as soon as I got those I was able to relax a bit more and got into the game.

“[But] Boydy, Woody, most of the back six.. they were tremendous and just helped me through the whole game.”

You couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face in the rooms after the game, and why not, to run out on the MCG and be a part of a win in your first game, it’s what dreams are made of.
 
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