Former Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson has called on the AFL to come down hard on Geelong star Bailey Smith.
After coming under fire for his social media antics at the club’s Mad Monday celebrations, Smith landed himself in hot water again this week.
In a now-deleted Instagram story, the Geelong midfielder posted a video of former Footy Show host Sam Newman criticising veteran journalist Caroline Wilson.
Smith’s post, and his Mad Monday post also featuring Wilson, triggered the AFL to warn Geelong over the star player’s social media presence, according to The Age.
Robinson welcomed the league’s response and said it was time Smith was pulled into line.
“I spoke about this about two or three weeks ago and it really p**ses me off, a lot of these young punks online say, ‘get off his back he’s only having fun’, there’s a fine line between having fun and showing an amount of decency in this world,” Robinson said.
“The AFL had to come down hard on his antics with Caroline Wilson.
“You just can’t be doing what he did. I’m just surprised the AFL took so long to send him a letter and send the club (Geelong Cats) a letter saying pull him into line if you don’t, we will.
“I thought it was a week-and-a-half too late from the AFL, but he’s got the message.”
Smith managed to escape any punishment other than the league’s official warning to the club.
Following the Cats’ loss to the Lions in this year’s Grand Final, the 24-year-old attended Geelong’s end of season celebrations dressed as Brad Pitt’s character Tristan Ludlow from the movie Legends of the Fall.
He referenced Brokeback Mountain, a film about a gay relationship between cowboys.
Smith’s Mad Monday outfit was met with criticism from Mitch Brown, the code’s first openly bisexual player, calling on the Geelong football club to “do better”, labelling the post “homophobic”.
“In all seriousness though, guys do better,” Brown wrote.
“Last time I checked, losing a grand final doesn’t make you gay, but being homophobic definitely makes you a loser.”
At the club’s function Smith posted an Instagram story of teammate Max Holmes, dressed as Wilson, with the caption suggesting she had “never looked better” followed by two emojis.
In addition to the post about Wilson, Robinson also appeared to land in Smith’s social media crossfire after he was labelled a “naughty boy”.
Smith shared an image of the former Fox Footy AFL360 co-host on Instagram, showing Robinson with his shirt unbuttoned – a photo originally used in a News Corp feature detailing the pundit’s recovery from a heart attack.
In what many viewed as a taunt, Smith captioned the image: “Slobbo, you are one naughty boy.”
Geelong’s CEO Steve Hocking told SEN radio the club would meet with Smith in the off-season to address his social media behaviour and the mounting criticism.
“When you come off-field, the interest in him is just unbelievable. He has a very different relationship with social media to … our age profile,” Mr Hocking said.
“I don’t understand it at all. He works that exceptionally well. There will be a time, in my view, and this will involve all of us over the off-season, where we just need to have some reflection.
“It’s not about tiptoeing around someone like Bailey but more about tailoring it accordingly.
“We’re really, really early in the relationship.”
After debuting for the Western Bulldogs in 2019, Smith has played 126 games. He joined Geelong at the start of this year.
Geelong have confirmed the team’s Mad Monday celebrations would no longer be held “in the same manner” moving forward following continual criticism in the off season.