Bailey Humphrey, Grade A rookie very likely to be a long-term piece for Gold Coast Suns but under contract for three more seasons. Now, uncertainty hangs over his future in the AFL. Earlier this season, he left his team using the league’s mental health provision. He still needs the AFL’s approval to play again, having withdrawn himself from the game. A few weeks ago, Humphrey spent time with Melbourne’s new coach, Steven King. This naturally generated a lot of excitement and imagination around a potential relocation to Victoria.
His love for his home state of Victoria hasn’t gone under the radar either. His recent Instagram post, featuring his off-season exploits in Moe along with the caption for the post “I’M FROM MOE” had already gone viral. This has left fans to come to only one conclusion, that he likes it home and wants a change of club, likely to a hometown favorite.
Craig Cameron, the list boss at Gold Coast, has publicly reiterated that Bailey Humphrey is not available. He stated, “He’s someone we want to explore, but there’s some things we need to still work through.” This carefully phrased statement reaffirms the Gold Coast’s long-term investment in their young player while recognizing the contradictory nature of his new and old realities.
Further, news reports have suggested that Humphrey has talked to teams like Hawthorn and others. He held preliminary discussions with the Melbourne Demons. Throughout negotiations, attention turned towards the most recent ICC premiership player Christian Petracca, who is well and truly under contract with Melbourne.
Demons’ list manager Tim Lamb poured cold water on the possibility of Petracca leaving Australia saying that if there was interest it would take a mint to get him. “So if someone wants him, come and talk to us and pay up,” he remarked, indicating that negotiations for Petracca would not be easy.
The larger backdrop of mental health context plays a significant role in understanding Bailey Humphrey’s situation. He stepped away earlier this year through the AFL’s mental health leave initiative. This new, unprecedented initiative is designed to equip players with the support and resources critical to both personal and professional success. As he considers making his return to football, he’ll need the league officials to provide him with some assurance. It’s arguably the most important piece for his comeback!
Craig Cameron said they would already be open to more adventures for Humphrey. If they are, he stressed that it would be approached as a not-horrible idea second chance. If we take that approach with Jamarra, he’ll be receiving a second chance. It’s entirely on him to buy into football. That’s a big ask,” Cameron said. He emphasized that Humphrey’s commitment is an essential piece for its future.
While the road may be tough, Kelly’s demonstrated that in demand clubs across the league that Bailey Humphrey’s skills have been well picked up on. As he rides out this transitional path on his career, striking a balance between his personal happiness and his career goals is key.
