Bailey’s Bays mean the world

By ZAC MILBANK

It will be almost a decade to the day from debut to 100 Hostplus SANFL League games for Glenelg premiership forward Darcy Bailey.

Playing his first League game for the Tigers against North Adelaide on the Queen’s Birthday Holiday Monday in 2013, Bailey will reach triple figures when the Bays tackle Sturt at ACH Group Stadium on Monday.

Speaking on SANFL Radio, the 28-year-old recounted to plenty which has unfolded in between on and off the field, including the sad passing of his father Dean, due to lung cancer, in early 2014.

Dean Bailey played 61 League games for Glenelg between 1993 and 1996, earning the club’s 1995 best-and-fairest and ensuring Darcy would also want to don the black and gold upon their return to Adelaide from Melbourne.

But it took some time until Darcy Bailey was able to cement his place in the Tigers’ League outfit, playing two games for Adelaide’s SANFL team in 2014 and missing large periods of 2016 and 2017 due to injury.

A breakout campaign in 2018 under new coach Mark Stone led to Bailey establishing himself as a forward pocket mainstay in the club’s drought-breaking 2019 premiership season.

He holds fond memories of playing in the club’s fifth League premiership, taking great pride in being one of the last players to leave the field after the final siren, having soaked up the fans’ emotion.

Now the Henley High School teacher is relishing his new role as a play-making half-back this season, averaging 26 possessions at an impressive 88 per cent disposal efficiency.