Bailey Humphrey Biography

Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick says it's up to the club to ensure Bailey Humphrey doesn't want to explore a move away at the end of the 2026 season.

Humphrey had explored a move from the Suns at the end of 2025 due to reasons related to his family.

"I understood Bailey's concerns with family. My job, and our job as an organisation, is to help Bailey with those things," Hardwick said.

"We're not only in charge of young men trying to become the very best football player they can be, but we're also working with them to move through the stages of adulthood that benefit him and his family.

"That's what we spoke about. I'm very, very understanding of his situation, but it's also incumbent on me as the coach of the Gold Coast Suns to say, 'Listen mate, you're a very good player and I think you're going to be one of our best players for a long period of time, so ideally we'd love to keep you here'."

Bailey Humphrey says his desire to explore a move from Gold Coast had nothing to do with the club and everything to do with family struggles in his hometown of Moe.

"The reason it hasn't been so awkward is because it never was about the people at the club, money, or anything about leaving," he said.

"I've got some great friendships here.

"It was all about family and I think the boys understood that. It was never awkward.

"I did a heap of optional training sessions when I got back. It was never like I was scared to show up because I thought it was going to be awkward."

Gold Coast list manager and interim head of football Craig Cameron has again attempted top put an end to speculation surrounding Bailey Humphrey, categorically saying the young star will not be traded under any circumstances.

Humphrey's manager Michael Oakes denied the 21-year-old was interested in exploring his options, only for it to emerge he had spoken to Melbourne and Hawthorn, among other Victorian clubs.

"We're really clear; we're not trading Bailey Humphrey. It's just not something we're going to entertain. I've been around for a while, and I haven't seen anything like this play out the way it has. It's been disappointing," Cameron said.

Bailey Humphrey reveals a conversation with Damien Hardwick that sparked his impressive 2025 season.

"'Dimma' backed me in a fair bit last year and I couldn't get to that expectation," Humphrey told AFL.com.au.

"In my exit meeting I told him to leave my name out of any media in the pre-season, just to let me do my thing and I'll show him why it'll be helpful.

"He apologised for pumping me up in the pre-season. It was nothing to apologise for, he was just backing me in, and I love having a coach that backs me in, but I just couldn't live up to it.

"I just want to be me, play the way I play and play to my strengths. He's realised that now and he's loving the way I'm going about it, which is good."

Bailey Humphrey is making a big impact for the Gold Coast Suns this season, showing significant growth from his debut and drawing inspiration from a childhood friend who tragically passed away.

"I have really high standards for myself and I'm playing some pretty good footy at the moment. I'm just trying to make sure I don't get too happy with myself. I'm trying to stay down to earth and keep making sure I can go to work on my craft," he said.

Last week, Humphrey kicked a brilliant goal after gathering a loose ball, shrugging off a tackler, and slotting it from 50 metres. He then raised his arm to the sky in a tribute to his childhood friend Riley Pearce, who tragically lost his life to suicide before Humphrey was drafted.

"I was talking to his dad during the week and I thought it was the perfect goal to point to the sky making sure he knows I'm still here," he said.

"I told his dad I'd do it and he was really appreciative. His mum and dad are two special people to me. They try and get to as many games as they can and they always watch ? after every game they always send me a message even if it's 11 o'clock after a night game and they always give me a 'Good luck' message too, which is so nice."

Gold Coast shuts down any chance of Bailey Humphrey being involved in any trade after Collingwood raised its interest in the young gun as part of the John Noble deal.

A handful of Gold Coast's emerging players will head to a training camp in Phoenix as they take it upon themselves to take the next step in 2025.

Bailey Humphrey, Will Graham, Ethan Read, Ned Moyle and Sam Clohesy will travel to the camp in the US state of Arizona this month ahead of the Suns' official start to their pre-season in November.

Bailey Humphrey is the 2023 round nine AFL Rising Star nominee tallying 20 disposals, kicking a goal, and laying five tackles in the Suns' victory over West Coast.

Bailey Humphrey makes his AFL debut for Gold Coast at Docklands Stadium with 11 disposals (7 kicks and 4 handballs), a mark and 3 tackles in a 53-point loss to St Kilda.

Gold Coast select Bailey Humphrey with pick No.6 in the 2022 National Draft.