The post drew widespread backlash but Smith escaped any punishment from the AFL, with the Cats announcing that, going forward, Mad Monday wouldn\u2019t continue in the same manner.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the incident for the first time on air over the weekend, Wilson took aim at both Smith and the Geelong football club.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy issue is the emoji he (Smith) put to an Instagram post about me,\u201d Wilson said on 3AW.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was disgusting, it was embarrassing. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was overseas at the time. My youngest daughter had to tell me what I meant. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was horrible, and I was just really disappointed in the reaction of the Geelong footy club.<\/p>\n
\u201cMax Holmes got in touch immediately. He dressed up as me, and I didn\u2019t have a massive issue with that. He was deeply embarrassed and apologetic.<\/p>\n
\u201cBailey Smith is gutless, and he makes horrible comments about women and is irresponsible.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat really disappointed me is leaders at that club, I think have really lowered their own standards by trying to build him up and defend him and I include Chris Scott in that.\u201d<\/p>\n
News.com.au has contacted the Geelong Cats for comment about Wilson\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n
Smith also created controversy for posting a story where club legend Sam Newman verbally attacked Wilson on The Footy Show nearly a decade ago.<\/p>\n
It followed a season full of off-field drama for the Cats star, which ended with the 25-year-old being issued a warning by the AFL for his continuous mischievous social media behaviour. <\/p>\n
His first indiscretion for the year came in Gather Round against Adelaide, when he gave a fan in the stands a middle-finger salute as Geelong walked back down to the changerooms post-game.<\/p>\n
Smith also stuck his middle finger up at Geelong Advertiser photographer Alison Wynd while she went about her job during an open-to-media training session.<\/p>\n
He then swore in her face, demanding she delete the photos.<\/p>\n
![\"Bailey](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/133970cdfba7e580511a9b71bd905a4a.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
But despite his off-field indiscretions, Smith enjoyed a career-best 2025 season, which saw him round out the podium of the 2025 Brownlow Medal \u2014 finishing only behind winner Matt Rowell and Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos.<\/p>\n
However, his 2026 season has gotten off to a sluggish start.<\/p>\n
He struggled to get into Friday\u2019s Opening Round clash against the Suns, managing 23 disposals but having limited impact, as Gold Coast smacked the Cats 125 to 69.<\/p>\n