Geelong star Bailey Smith has warned rival fans “don’t talk s*** to the skipper” but expects a fine from the AFL over the offensive gesture he made in response to sledging of captain Patrick Dangerfield.
Smith starred for the Cats in their stirring comeback win over Adelaide on Thursday night, tallying a game-high 35 disposals, six clearances and one goal in an influential display.
But some of the shine was taken off the 24-year-old’s performance when he was caught on video giving a double-fingered salute to a Crows fan as Geelong players walked down the race.
Footage of the Adelaide Oval incident quickly circulated on social media.
“It was probably not my best moment but I was just walking off getting around the fans and then someone was just getting stuck into Danger a bit more than he should have,” Smith told the Seven Network on Friday.
“We were in enemy territory and I kind of love that sort of stuff. I love the back and forth between the fans.
“If I had my time again I probably shouldn’t have done the double-bird, but it’s just all part of it and there’s only so much you can cop.
“I’ll expect probably a fine or something but don’t talk s*** to the skipper, I guess.”
Smith said he was simply flying the flag for Dangerfield, who was a predictable target for Adelaide fans all night as he kicked four goals to help sink his former team.
“He can’t do it. He’s got a good image to uphold, whereas I’m a bit different,” Smith said of Dangerfield.
“I just don’t like some of the stuff that was being said.
“Obviously you want to win with grace and that (gesture) wasn’t anything untoward towards the Adelaide Crows in general, just the one bloke that was making a big effort to get stuck into Danger.”
Pressed for details, Smith said the supporter had been vocal about Dangerfield’s time with Adelaide before getting personal in his verbal attack.
“That’s where it just crosses a line,” Smith said.
“You can judge performance as much as you like but when you start to get into deeper details it’s probably a bit far.”
Bailey Smith follows Patrick Dangerfield off Adelaide Oval after the Cats’ win. (Matt West Coast young gun Harley Reid was handed a $1000 fine for misconduct over a similar incident in Brisbane last month.
Smith said AFL football boss Laura Kane called him on Friday to ask for an explanation about his incident.
“They’re actually good in terms of allowing us to say our piece,” Smith said.
“I’ll just get a fine because it’s obviously just a bad look, which I completely agree with.
“Hopefully it’s not too hefty. We’ll see, but I might get Danger to pay for it hopefully.”
Geelong improved to 3-2 with their come-from-behind win over Adelaide, erasing a 30-point second-quarter deficit.
It set up a huge clash with unbeaten Hawthorn in their traditional Easter Monday battle.
“It was a huge win,” Smith said.
“We were probably a bit lucky they were off a five-day break, and we didn’t want to leverage off that, but to be able to outrun them in the last quarter was huge.”
