(254th Eagles player)
Mobile ruckman Bailey Williams was West Coast's third selection in the 2018 draft.
West Coast career[]
Originally from the Mornington Peninsula, Williams was touted as a first round pick after dominating in the ruck for Dandenong in the TAC Cup but slipped as clubs looked to midfielders. On being drafted he was described as being quick and agile with a great leap, and being capable of also playing as a key forward. Bailey's father Paul, also a ruckman, spent time on Carlton's list as a backup for champion Blue Justin Madden but was unable to break through for an AFL debut.[1]
Williams impressed in his first season with the Eagles, playing every game for the reserves and taking on more ruck responsibility as the year progressed. He was also named an emergency for the senior side on several occasions and travelled to Alice Springs with the side, but did not make his senior debut. After coming close numerous times during the pandemic-affected 2020 season, Williams finally got a call-up late in the year, playing three games as a backup to All-Australian ruckman Nic Naitanui.
With Tom Hickey departing in the offseason and Nathan Vardy out of favour, Williams had a golden opportunity to cement a spot as Naitanui's backup in 2021, but was stymied by injury and form, playing just six games. He finally graduated to a regular role in 2022, playing 17 games, and ended up leading the ruck for much of the season with Naitanui missing a number of games.
With Naitanui unavailable for the entire 2023 season Williams was forced to stand up and flourished, playing every game and finishing fifth in the league in total hitouts. In a sign of his ability when the ball hit the deck, also recorded more clearances than any West Coast player bar Tim Kelly, as well as finishing third in tackles. Expected to play more of a forward role in 2024 with the arrival of Matt Flynn, Williams ended up leading the ruck again for virtually the full season with Flynn limited by injury.
Stats[]
| AFL | Gm | G | B | K | M | H | D | T | Cl | WAFL | Gm | G | B | K | M | H | D | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 0 | WCE | 20 | 16 | 13 | 103 | 43 | 93 | 196 | 51 | |||||||||
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 5 | 2 | N/A | |||||||||
| 2021 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 15 | 12 | 35 | 8 | 1 | WCE | 9 | 5 | 7 | 57 | 35 | 45 | 102 | 18 | |
| 2022 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 83 | 31 | 74 | 157 | 35 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 6 | 11 | 33 | 3 | ||
| 2023 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 130 | 44 | 165 | 295 | 79 | 97 | 0 | |||||||||
| 2024 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 140 | 43 | 116 | 256 | 60 | 88 | 0 | |||||||||
| Tot | 72 | 19 | 19 | 386 | 138 | 378 | 764 | 187 | 233 | ||||||||||
| Avg | 0.3 | 5.4 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 10.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 |
News[]
23/11/18: Eagles load up on midfielders
14/8/19: Rookie ruckman extends deal
26/8/20: Williams to make long-awaited debut
Tribunal record[]
| Year | Rd | Charge | Outcome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 16 | Engaging in melee | Accepted $1,000 fine | |||
| 2023 | 21 | Rough conduct against M.Redman (ESS) | 1-week suspension overturned by Tribunal |
References[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailey_Williams_(footballer,_born_2000)
https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Bailey_Williams1.html
https://www.wafl.com.au/player/bailey-williams
- ↑ Justin Cherny, The Age (14 November 2018), "A generation later, Williams has the chance to do what dad couldn't": https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/a-generation-later-williams-has-the-chance-to-do-what-dad-couldn-t-20181114-p50g2d.html
| Current playing squad |
|---|
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1. Ryan, 2. Waterman, 3. Gaff, 4. Sheed, 5. Hunt, 6. Yeo, 7. Ginbey, 8. Hewett, 9. H.Reid, 10.Brockman |