Boos rain down on Geelong star as his ‘stupid’ brain fade moment is blasted by fans: ‘I probably shouldn’t have done it’
Bailey Smith has been blasted by Hawthorn fans after he bizarrely appeared to shove a football into the face of Hawks defender Jarman Impey.
Geelong and Hawthorn played out a hugely entertaining and fierce clash at the MCG on Easter Monday as Chris Scott’s side sealed an 12.14 (86) to 11.13 (79) victory to climb to sixth in the ladder. Patrick Dangerfield and Shaun Mannagh starred for the Cats, booting three goals each, while Jack Gunston and Marbior Chol were equally impressive, also bagging a pair of hat-tricks for the Hawks.
Smith, 24, could now find himself in a bit of bother with the AFL tribunal, according to some commentators, following the ugly moment.
The midfielder had also landed in hot water with the tribunal only a week ago after being slapped with a $1000 penalty for flipping his middle finger up at a spectator, who had allegedly berated captain Dangerfield with some ‘unrepeatable’ comments.
Smith, a former Western Bulldogs star, who moved to the Cattery in the off-season, had attempted to gather the footy before it crossed over the boundary line, before receiving a little bump from Impey.
While it was a fairly innocuous bump, Smith appeared to see read, throwing the ball straight into the side of the Hawks star’s face, as he turned his back on the Geelong midfielder.
Bailey Smith (front) was blasted by fans inside the MCG for throwing the ball into the face of Jarman Impey
It came after the Hawks star had appeared to bump into Smith, who had collected the footy on the boundary line
Impey dropped to the floor before a fracas broke out on the touchline, with Smith tangling with Conor Nash.
After the game, the Geelong midfielder admitted he regretted the incident with Impey.
‘I probably shouldn’t have done what I did to Impey,’ he told Channel 7.
‘I’m just like fired up, it’s Easter Monday, but yeah, I tried not to give away a free-kick in the second half. But yeah we just loved it. What more could you wish for, so Happy Easter.’
Pressed on what he thought about the theatre of the game and how he had also geared up the crowd during the match, Smith added: ‘I love a bit of a punch on, love copping it, love giving it out.
‘It’s all part of it so you’ve just got to embrace it and try not to be too much of a hero. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have thrown the ball. I don’t know – you know when you just have no control over your actions. Ah well stupid but yeah.’
There has been some conjecture among footy experts over whether Smith should cop further punishment for the incident.
Speaking to SEN, Gerard Whateley said: ‘I would fine him for that… I don’t think you would want to wave that through.’
Smith saw red over the incident, throwing the ball into the face of the Hawks midfielder
Smith (left) said that he regretted the moment with the Geelong star adding that he was ‘just fired up’
He was booed by fans inside the MCG and appeared to fire back after he walked from the pitch, cupping his ear
Meanwhile, Matthew Richardson told 3AW: ‘He didn’t need to do that.’
Smith subsequently copped a large boo from sections of the crowd as he was subbed off to the bench.
But their taunts did not go unnoticed, with the Cats star cupping his hand to his ear before gesturing to the spectators inside the MCG with his hands.
More to follow…
