Geelong Cats star Bailey Smith set to send women crazy while in Perth on Valentine’s Day for AFL Origin

The AFL’s biggest — and at times controversial — heartthrob has returned to Perth for the historic AFL Origin clash taking place on Valentine’s Day.

Geelong Cats star Bailey Smith will line up for Victoria in the sold-out match against Western Australia at Optus Stadium on Saturday.

His team consists of fellow All-Australian players such as Marcus Bontempelli, Nick Daicos, Max Gawn, and Patrick Dangerfield for the first AFL Origin game played this century.

The 25-year-old is back in Perth after his trip to the west coast in October last year, when he sussed out houses for sale in Cottesloe.

Smith had fans and women alike heading out in droves to the affluent suburb after he let his army of Instagram followers know it was a great spot.

“Why are the streets in Cottesloe so pretty?” he posted in an Instagram story, ahead of being paid to speak at a sportsman’s night at Mineral Resources Park, titled The Bailey Smith Experience.

Then, in another, he wrote: “Just sussed house prices in Cottesloe & there’s no wonder why she perty (sic).”

There’s no doubt his presence in WA again will have fans itching to meet him or spot him in public — he was sighted in Scarborough on Wednesday night — with a marketing expert weighing in on his fame and influence.

ECU senior lecturer in sport business and marketing Ashlee Morgan said fans resonated with Smith because he is “unapologetically himself” across social media — it’s not just his luscious locks.

His “attractiveness for brand partnerships” has helped him build a cult following and personal brand outside of the AFL.

“Bailey Smith has transcended football by building a personal brand that exists independently of the AFL, while still being amplified by it,” Dr Morgan said.

“His popularity beyond the game isn’t just about on-field performance, but about how he shows up visibly and authentically across digital platforms.

“He is unapologetically himself, and that brings him much airtime.

“Smith resonates with audiences outside traditional AFL fans because he doesn’t present as an overly polished, media-trained sports star. Through social media, fashion and lifestyle content, his candid public persona has created a sense of familiarity that makes people feel like they know him.”

Dr Morgan said Smith carries cultural relevance and builds trust, which are “key currencies in modern marketing”.

“What makes him unique is that he operates in both social media fame and traditional media relevance,” she said.

“While his self-sustaining online fandom makes him authentic and accessible on his own terms, he is still the focus of regular mainstream media headlines.

“That dual presence gives him both intimacy and scale. That combination is rare and it’s what elevates him from footballer to brand.”

And make headlines he does — whether its his love life or losing his licence for several months.

Smith recently had tongues wagging after his “romantic links” to fitness influencer Tammy Hembrow were revealed to be part of a Tinder campaign.

It seems his quest for love might be making tracks after he was spotted out in Sydney and Melbourne with a woman named Holly Kleverlaan.