Ed Richards vs Bailey Smith

[The 4th Horseman]

When Smith went down with his ACL the Bulldogs needed a replacement. Beveridge turned to Richards to fill the role and he has flourished.

Smith has bounced back and is producing career best stats for the Cats in his first season.

Who do you pick and why?

 

[My Tilly]

Poor comparison.
Richards a couple years older and yet to illustrate he can play this brand of footy in September when it matters the most.

Smith's yet to reach his best so far. Still adjusting to his teammates strengths & weaknesses while returning from a long lay off.

 

[conrad_437]

All I'm gonna say is that I really don't miss Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

25

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

's moonball kicks

 

[Loz89]

Poor comparison.
Richards a couple years older and yet to illustrate he can play this brand of footy in September when it matters the most.

Smith's yet to reach his best so far. Still adjusting to his teammates strengths & weaknesses while returning from a long lay off.

Very fair comparison. Difference of 1 year in age. Same position, Bailey smith had recovered from his acl well before this season and refused to play. Richards for me at this stage

 

[My Tilly]

Richards at this stage is the better player and the poll rightly suggests that.

Not sure how you came up with that. Based on tonight's game, I'd say Smith has been the better player.
He's killing it.
Helping Geelong notch another win in a game decided by a couple of goals.

 

[Loz89]

Not sure how you came up with that. Based on tonight's game, I'd say Smith has been the better player.
He's killing it.
Helping Geelong notch another win in a game decided by a couple of goals.

I think smith is a genuine gun but i rate Richards higher, including tonight’s game. 29 and 2 goals beats Smith’s 33 and no score for me. Can argue for both in all honesty

 

[conrad_437]

Smith is definitely playing better footy than he was at the Dogs but for me it's really no match.

I actually think Richards beats him in most facets. Faster, stronger, much better kick, better goalscorer, better decision maker. Smith is a better ball winner.

 

[My Tilly]

Another brilliant performance from Smith.
Just going from strength to strength.
Still has another gear where he will begin hitting the scoreboard on a weekly basis.

 

[Senor Ed]

Another brilliant performance from Smith.
Just going from strength to strength.
Still has another gear where he will begin hitting the scoreboard on a weekly basis.

If he hits the scoreboard it'll probably be OOF so sounds about right.

 

[STPer18]

Legendary Bulldog Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

is calling our Baz the best player in the comp. Huge praise from the Western Bulldogs legend for former Dog Bailey. What a coup for pick 20.

"Best player in the comp": The star Cat on top of the AFL

“He’s the best player in the comp at the moment.”

www.sen.com.au

Legendary Bulldog Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

49

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

has labelled Geelong's Bailey Smith as the AFL’s best player in 2025.

The 24-year-old midfielder has been a revelation since joining the Cats this season, playing phenomenal football despite entering the season off the back of an ACL.

Averaging 31.5 disposals, six tackles, five clearances, seven score involvements and 690 metres gained per game, the star Cat has taken his game to ridiculous levels through his first 11 games.

Smith’s 38-disposal haul against the Eagles on Sunday night was enough to earn Smith nine coaches’ votes, elevating him to the top of the player of the year leaderboard with 59 votes across the season.

With that in mind, Johnson went big on his belief that the star has eclipsed his peers, taking pole position atop the AFL's elite.

“He’s the best player in the comp at the moment,” Johnson told SEN Sportsday.
“I don’t think there is any player going better than he is.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Richards is a game changer/winner

Smith is not

 

[My Tilly]

Richards is a game changer/winner

Smith is not

Didn't do anything in a must-win scenario today and that is the difference between the two players.

Smith's brought it on the big stage before and you can bet your bottom dollar he'll do so again in a fortnight's time.

 

[a_fighting_fury]

Richards - even if I was to disregard Smith’s dickhead factor.

 

[My Tilly]

Smith delivered in the finals (again).
He's been doing this for years.

Richards . . . . . not so much.

 

[conrad_437]

Smith delivered in the finals (again).
He's been doing this for years.

Richards . . . . . not so much.

Spoke too soon...

 

[My Tilly]

Spoke too soon...

He was excellent in the first two finals.
30 disposals & 1 goal.

Let's see how Ed goes in 2026 after his first breakout season.

 

[conrad_437]

He was excellent in the first two finals.
30 disposals & 1 goal.

Let's see how Ed goes in 2026 after his first breakout season.

Not to say that he didn't have a pretty solid finals series overall, but his game yesterday highlighted exactly the reason why he isn't really missed around at the kennel. Highly inconsistent in terms of his effectiveness and true impact, his kicking is truly abysmal at times and is an intercepting marker's dream. Not to mention some fairly obvious character flaws that are exposed when the going can get tough.

Can't questions his work ethic and gut running though. And a fantastic ball winner. But I'd say Richards beats him quite easily in most other facets of the game that matter, and the poll in this thread would a appear to back me up, despite Bailey winning heaps of media adulation and Richards largely going under the radar (comparatively).

 

[Senor Ed]

Bulldogs fans will have seen Smith's squib with Zorko leading to Neale's goal before.

Late in the 3rd quarter of the 2021 GF, the Demons were coming hard and Bailey had an opportunity to put his body on the line to win a 50-50 contest on the wing. He took a few short steps, stuck an arm out instead of trying to win the footy and Melbourne went straight past and kicked a goal. Carbon copy.

 

[My Tilly]

But I'd say Richards beats him quite easily in most other facets of the game that matter, and the poll in this thread would a appear to back me up, despite Bailey winning heaps of media adulation and Richards largely going under the radar (comparatively).

Richards has been fairly inconsistent this year.

What areas of the game has he got Smith beat?

 

[conrad_437]

Richards has been fairly inconsistent this year.

What areas of the game has he got Smith beat?

(Much) better kick, stronger, more explosive, better overhead, better decision maker.

Disposal, combined with some poor decision making, is the main element of Smith's game that seriously lets him down.

Richard's has definitely had a more inconsistent year than last year, definitely impacted by injury. I am sure he'll be back to full strength soon.

 

[STPer18]

Smith off to a flying start in 2026.

He's playing even better this year thus far than he did last season when he was voted the coaches' MVP.

As far as 2026 is concerned this isn't even a debate, Richards doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Smith. Only thing Richards has over Smith is more clangers despite touching the ball nearly ten times less per game.

 

[Bald]

Smith is clearly having a better season than Richards. There are reasons, but the comparison was made when Smith was returning from an ACL so Richards having arguably a better season last year is equally questionable. We probably won't have a clear answer on output until the end of 2027.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

(Much) better kick, stronger, more explosive, better overhead, better decision maker.

Disposal, combined with some poor decision making, is the main element of Smith's game that seriously lets him down.

Richard's has definitely had a more inconsistent year than last year, definitely impacted by injury. I am sure he'll be back to full strength soon.

Not wanting to make this thread any more inflammatory than it needs to be but Smith is playing real different this year. Retained metres gained 20% higher than richards, disposals per clanger 9 for Smith versus only 6.4 for richards. He really is gradually turning into a different player.

Not wanting to be down on Ed though, it's easier to be damaging in a side that always has a quick player in a dangerous position forward and I expect Ed would have better numbers in a full side

 

[Mr Meow]

(Much) better kick, stronger, more explosive, better overhead, better decision maker.

Disposal, combined with some poor decision making, is the main element of Smith's game that seriously lets him down.

Richard's has definitely had a more inconsistent year than last year, definitely impacted by injury. I am sure he'll be back to full strength soon.

We just want to know what level Smith needs to get to where he would earn some Bulldogs midfield rotations.

Kennedy still ahead IMO.

 

[My Tilly]

(Much) better kick, stronger, more explosive, better overhead, better decision maker.

Disposal, combined with some poor decision making, is the main element of Smith's game that seriously lets him down.

Richard's has definitely had a more inconsistent year than last year, definitely impacted by injury. I am sure he'll be back to full strength soon.

Sorry Conrad but Richards is a fraud. Bailey Smith has produced on the big stage during finals. He's a legitimate match winner.

Richards is unlikely to be that player and given he's now 27 years of age, probably never will.
Does well running around without a tag that's for sure