Bailey Banfield

Bailey Banfield
Banfield in April 2025
Personal information
Full name Bailey James Banfield
Nickname Banners
Born (1998-02-26) 26 February 1998 (age 28)
Broome, Western Australia
Original team Claremont (WAFL)
Draft No. 5, 2018 rookie draft
Height 190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Positions Midfielder, half-forward, half-back
Club information
Current club Essendon
Number 41
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2018–2026 Fremantle 119 (66)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2026 season.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Bailey James Banfield (born 26 February 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2018 to 2026.

Early life

Banfield grew up in Broome, Western Australia. He lived there until he finished Year 7 before moving to Perth to attend senior schooling at Scotch College.

AFL career

Overlooked in the 2016 AFL draft, Banfield played for Claremont in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), being a part of the Colts (WAFL) premiership side in 2015 and winning their 2017 best and fairest award. He finished with 22 WAFL games for Claremont. He was then selected by Fremantle with their first selection, fifth overall, in the 2018 AFL rookie draft. Banfield made his AFL debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2018 AFL season after a series of impressive pre-season games. He signed a two-year contract extension during the season, tying him to Fremantle until 2020.

Banfield was elevated to Fremantle's senior list in 2019. Banfield had a standout performance in Round 12 of the 2022 AFL season, kicking a career-high four goals during Fremantle's 14-point win over the Brisbane Lions.

The 2024 AFL season would prove to be a career-best for Banfield, playing 22 games. He was named on the interchange bench for Fremantle's opening game against the Brisbane Lions, kicking Fremantle's first goal and collecting 14 disposals in the 23-point come-from-behind win. He was again impactful the next week against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, collecting 18 disposals and kicking two goals. His fine form throughout the season saw him ranked above average in almost every statistic. As of April 18, he was ranked the third-best wingman in the league by Champion Data, despite primarily playing as a high half-forward. After attracting interest from several Melbourne-based clubs due to entering 2024 as an unrestricted free agent, Banfield signed a two-year contract extension in September to remain at the Dockers until at least 2026.

Banfield had a mixed start to the 2025 AFL season, playing the first six games before being dropped after the Round 6 loss to Melbourne and returning in Round 10. In Round 11 against Port Adelaide, teammate Cooper Simpson suffered an AC joint injury in the first quarter. With limited options at half-back, Banfield was switched to defence after starting the match as the substitute. He played well in the 49-point win, recording 17 disposals and a career-high 16 kicks. Following this strong performance, Banfield kept his spot in the backline for the remainder of the season, including in Fremantle's elimination final.

In 2026, however, Banfield was unable to break back into Fremantle's AFL team, playing for Peel Thunder for the entire season before being recalled for Fremantle's final game of the home and away season. He was omitted for the finals, but won the WAFL premiership with Peel. At the 2026 Brownlow Medal night, Banfield was awarded the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award for his community and charity work. Banfield was ultimately delisted at the end of the season, but had reportedly gained interest from two unspecified Victorian clubs.

Personal life

Banfield married Julia Edwards in October 2024. In September 2026, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2025 season.

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2018Fremantle41 205516212929165810.30.38.16.514.63.34.10
2019Fremantle41 72139549318300.30.15.67.713.32.64.30
2020Fremantle41 5202621478170.40.05.24.29.41.63.40
2021Fremantle41 64229275612140.70.34.84.59.32.02.30
2022Fremantle41 2318141024114346260.80.64.41.86.22.01.10
2023Fremantle41 14119897116041160.80.66.45.111.42.91.10
2024Fremantle41 22201317414031474560.90.67.96.414.33.42.51
2025Fremantle41 214217210627867450.20.18.25.013.23.22.10
Career 118664679358913823312850.60.46.75.011.72.82.41

WAFL statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2025 season.
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2016Claremont51 210201838670.50.010.09.019.03.03.5
2017Claremont34 2045322162484801120.20.216.18.124.24.05.6
2019Peel Thunder2/13 11941919929046790.80.317.39.026.34.17.1
2021Peel Thunder6/24/38 67849277622241.11.38.14.512.63.64.0
2022Peel Thunder24/39/51 335161026991.01.65.33.38.63.03.0
2023Peel Thunder6/55 3643694517162.01.312.03.015.05.75.3
2025Peel Thunder4 2501512275112.50.07.56.013.52.55.5
Career 47 35 26 649 337 986 185 258 0.7 0.6 13.8 7.2 21.0 3.9 5.5

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ↑ 2022 statistics include five games when Banfield was used as the substitute (round 3, 6, 11, 16 & 22) and five games when Banfield wasn’t used as the substitute (rounds 4, 7, 20, Finals Week 1 & Semi Final).
  3. ↑ 2023 statistics include a game when Banfield was substituted out (round 13).

References

  1. ↑ Wildie, Tom; Thomas, Clint (26 July 2018). "How Bailey Banfield's AFL dream turned to dust before the Fremantle Dockers came calling". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "Banfield wins 2017 E.B Cook Medal". Claremont Football Club. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  3. ↑ "Banfield pressing for shock round-one selection". The West Australian. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "First-year pair to get Freo debut". PerthNow. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  5. ↑ "New deal and elevation for Banfield". fremantlefc.com.au. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  6. ↑ King, Travis (15 August 2018). "New deal, promotion for Dockers rookie". afl.com.au. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Banfield's day out a triumph for self-belief". Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  8. ↑ reilly, eliza (21 March 2023). "'No chance for round one:' How Freo's unsung hero keeps surviving". codesports.com.
  9. ↑ Santa Maria, Jake (18 April 2024). "Champion Data rates Bailey Banfield as third best wingman in the AFL in surprise stat". The West Australian.
  10. ↑ Santa Maria, Jake (6 September 2024). "Fremantle Dockers lock away Corey Wagner, Sam Sturt and Bailey Banfield on new two-year extensions". The West Australian.
  11. ↑ "Bailey Banfield: Fremantle Dockers forward suspended for striking while playing for Peel Thunder". The West Australian. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "TABtouch Team: One in for Walyalup". fremantlefc.com.au. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  13. 1 2 O'Donoghue, Craig (26 May 2025). "Fremantle Docker Bailey Banfield on the verge of becoming a full-time defender after key injuries to backline". The West Australian. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Game day adaptability earning results". fremantlefc.com.au. 27 May 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Freo focus on 'momentum' as finals loom: Murray". fremantlefc.com.au. 22 August 2026. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Dockers GF week gets great start as Peel romps to WAFL flag over Claremont". afl.com.au. 20 September 2026. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Banfield's service to community honoured with AFL award". The West Australian. 21 September 2026. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Fremantle List Update". fremantlefc.com.au. 29 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Rival club snaps up Crow in free agency coup; big Dog to stay put — Trade Whispers". Fox Sports. 25 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "AFL star ties the knot with long term partner". PerthNow. 27 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  21. ↑ Kraayvanger, Katherine (21 September 2026). "Freo Dockers star announces pregnancy at 2026 Brownlow". PerthNow. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  22. ↑ "Bailey Banfield". AFL Tables. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Bailey Banfield". West Australian Football League. Retrieved 29 July 2025.